Critiques: What Can They Do For ME and How Do I Get One?

As writers we love to get some feedback on our new works once we’ve polished them up a bit. Submitting your work for critique and giving critiques to others is a great way to learn more about the craft of writing and to network with other authors.

What can a critique do for me, you ask? Critiques can be as simple as finding those typo’s and misspellings that your eyes can miss (and that spell checker can miss too!)
But they can also be in-depth and:
•   look at the overall style of your writing
•   look at the “meaning” of certain word choices
•   consider the  choreography of your phrasing
•   note dialogue vs description
•   watch for the flow and clarity of phrasing
•   consider the overall pacing of the story

Learning how to critique the works of others not only allows you to support your writing community but can also give you great insight into your own work.

I’ve created a forum called Writing Talk where you can get your work critiqued! The Forum has boards for writing discussions, challenges and prompts but it also has a restricted board for getting critiques.

The Critique board is accessible by password only – this means your work is safe in a private place – not in a public board where anyone passing through can see them!!

Please come and register for Writing Talk, introduce yourself in the Welcome Board and tell us about your writing, then see what the Forum has to offer!

I hope you’ll come and take a look. I’ve worked hard to create this in order to support my fellow writers and could really use some support and feedback on this!!

Would you like to have a safe place to get feedback? Would you commit to giving feedback to others as well? Please leave your ideas, comments, suggestions in the comments below!!

Writing Talk

6 Comments (+add yours?)

  1. Professional Writer
    Apr 02, 2014 @ 13:26:44

    Well what i just need to say on this article… As a writer when i never get Feedback then i just Sit back and Keep looking to my Rack…

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    • Susan Hawthorne
      Apr 02, 2014 @ 13:35:04

      Professional Writer – I’m not quite sure that we’re talking about the same thing. I’m referring to critiques in a group that one would request before publication to help them fully polish their work? Are you thing of book reviews after publication?
      Thanks, Susan 🙂

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  2. davidprosser
    Jan 17, 2014 @ 22:44:10

    An award winging it’s way to you. http://barsetshirediaries.wordpress.com Ding Dong.
    Hugs

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. Susan Hawthorne
    Jan 13, 2014 @ 19:34:29

    Reblogged this on Let Your Imagination SOAR.

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  4. Susan Hawthorne
    Oct 23, 2013 @ 13:17:59

    I so agree! On the Critique forum there are guidelines and critiquing the work, not the author is one of the rules. Also Critters are cautioned to keep in mind that their critiques are suggestions – it’s up to the writer to choose to use them or not.
    While there are writing guidelines, sometimes we choose to “break the rules” and that’s ok.
    There is to be no arguing, flaming, insistence of “rightness”. Discussion is fine but always to be respectful. 🙂

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  5. parrillaturi
    Oct 20, 2013 @ 00:35:36

    I don’t mind sound critiques, so long as they are targeted at my work. There are individuals who tend to criticize the person, as opposed to his/her writings. A helpful critique, can be viewed as a step forward, but a personal criticism can be harmful to that one who can not cope with rejection. My advice, be gentle, target that specific area, and lift up that person.

    Liked by 1 person

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