Crits

[H.Brown]

Hi Lucina, while I like the sentiment behind your statement but I don't see how it reltes to the Op. Can you explain it further in way of critiques?

I guess when I love them it's maybe in the manner of a parent, who wants her kid to be happy and healthy and therefore tells him to clean his room and brush his teeth, and sends him off to school. And I want to hear that he's wonderful sizzling hott 2 online, but if he misbehaves or has a fever or whatever, I need to know it.

[sarahvdan]

I love glowing reviews. Who doesn't? But I also know that the positive ones, however nice, aren't as useful as the negative. It's hard to know whether praise is because the work is really that good or if someone is being nice. I don't believe I've ever written a first draft that couldn't use some sort of tweaking, so to get a handful of positive responses doesn't really do me much good.

[TMarie]

Returning to WF after many moons, the sticky notes in this forum section is a great place for me to re-enter. The last critique I received here was excellent, however I felt the need to defend and explain what I wrote. The person giving me their critique was not asking for an explanation in any way, but that was lost on me at the time. I'm slowly learning to take that pause before reacting and responding, not only to writing critiques, but also to life in general.

[indianroads]

On sites such as WF I'll only ask for a crits regarding the blurb (used on the back cover and Amazon product description) because it's short and to the point. If I need something longer I'll go a beta reader or my editor. My view is that asking someone to review / critique a 3000-4000 word chapter, especially if it's out of context, is just too much to ask of even a wonderful site like WF.

Without screening where the critique is coming from we could end up with some who dislikes the genre of the piece, or doesn't understand or relate to the theme of the story.

Although it's probably unnecessary, I always add that I bruise easily and ask the reviewer to be gentle. The feedback I've received has always been valuable and greatly appreciated.

BTW - I have a blurb up for crit down in Publishing -> Publishing Discussion -> Query...

[R. A. Busby]

On sites such as WF I'll only ask for a crits regarding the blurb (used on the back cover and Amazon product description) because it's short and to the point. If I need something longer I'll go a beta reader or my editor. My view is that asking someone to review / critique a 3000-4000 word chapter, especially if it's out of context, is just too much to ask of even a wonderful site like WF.

Without screening where the critique is coming from we could end up with some who dislikes the genre of the piece, or doesn't understand or relate to the theme of the story.

Although it's probably unnecessary, I always add that I bruise easily and ask the reviewer to be gentle. The feedback I've received has always been valuable and greatly appreciated.

BTW - I have a blurb up for crit down in Publishing -> Publishing Discussion -> Query...

Yes -- I've definitely seen that on places like Reddit or Scribophile where readers -- well-meaning ones, of course -- say, "I don't see the point of this character interaction in this chapter," and in my head I'm all, "But it feeds into something important later!" How, of course, are they to know that?

[NoFuchsGiven]

I had previously been a member of a similar forum to this.

From what you have said you sound like you are genuinely offering your opinion and an honest critique.

The problem sounds as though the people you are offering the critique to do not posses the thick skin required to take another persons' opinion.

I found that some people would say in their post "I'm new to this so please be kind" or "I've got thick skin, don't go soft" so that people knew before they tore them a new one.

When people argue with the people offering them help and guidance it annoys me. It's like "here is my work, let me know what you think..." so you tell them your opinion and then they say "no. your wrong. your opinion is wrong."

Anyway, keep offering help and being honest.

NFG