Somebody slams it hard, and your heart thunks painfully, while your chest contracts and your breathing becomes labored. All because somebody didn't like it.
Artists and writers are a sensitive breed. We want to do our best, to learn to do better, and that is at least in part why we submit it to a public forum, where it will be judged by our peers. But some criticism can send us reeling in pain. So, what went wrong? Why did somebody pick on our baby?
Here's the deal. There will always be maliciously minded people who pick apart your work with the idea of self-aggrandizement. They pontificate, they give you links and berate you for not clicking on them in the first place. Can you spell E-G-O T-R-I-P? Knew you could. Plus, there will always be people in the Simon Cowell mold who are brutally honest, even if their reality doesn't always agree with other critics. It happens. Get over it. Those who are in it for the strokes generally aren't there to be helpful. Sometimes the brutally honest critics are right, and have valid points. They could benefit from a smoother and more caring bedside manner, but they mean to be helpful. Let it flow off you like water off a duck's back.
I've always maintained that if I can dish out the constructive criticism, and I can, I should be able to take it, and I do—even if that means smiling and thanking the critic and taking a walk around the block to calm down and find my center. You have no idea how many flame-wars have been averted by a cup of coffee or tea, a nice warm bath, or beating up a beach-ball. I highly recommend hitting the reply button only after taking one of the aforementioned options to unwind. Not only does it let us calm down, but it allows us to see their points in a more dispassionate manner. Sometimes they will have made good commentary which we initially recoiled from as a personal attack.
Here are Mother Anton's time-tested guidelines for giving and taking critiques:
1. In any given circumstance, it costs you nothing to be nice. It's also an investment in how you would like to be treated. Communities, be they online or off, corporations or associations, develop a "corporate personality." Encouraging civility should be every Netizen's responsibility.
2. Be specific. I can't stress too much how important it is to give feedback that tells the artist or writer why you like or don't like a piece. It need not be paragraphs long, nor couched in learned and authoritative commentary, but at all costs avoid the "I liked this!" comments. If you're going to take the time to comment, tell the author why you liked their work. Or not. Were there speed bumps in the narration or dialog? Did meter or rhyme leave you wondering what was in the mind of the poet? What worked for you, touched you, gave you chills. Tell them!
3. While still being specific, be diplomatic. Use words like, "perhaps" and "possibly." As an example, "This poem touched me with its repetitive stanzas, but perhaps it might benefit from a softer, more subtle presentation of the main idea. Give it a try." Or, "I liked your use of cat toys to represent moods. Maybe you could connect them in the end with one more stanza." Or, "Was this meant to be allegorical or is it based on a reality?" Any writer who wants to improve and grow in talent will welcome this kind of commentary.
4. Once you've created a piece, you give up for all time and eternity the "first view" or "first read" that other people will have when they initially connect with your work. This can be both a handicap and a blessing. It's hard to see the forest through the trees, because you are so very familiar with your work. On the other hand, garnering first reactions to a piece can be a series of gifts. They will notice, see, and react to imagery and words in ways you never can. Encourage this, and thank people who gift you with their reactions.
5. Remember that this is constructive criticism. You want to help them build upon their efforts, not tear them down. It may take a bit of deconstruction to fix an ailing piece, but that is the job of the author, not the critic. "This didn't work for me, and here's why," is a far, far cry from, "I hated this piece of slime!"
6. Avoid being part of a mutual admiration society. Sure, we're all friends here—that's a given in a community of artistic people, but it does no one any good to heap praise so lavishly that we stop learning, stop broadening our skills, consider ourselves the best we'll ever be. A literary agent I knew in New York once told me that self-satisfaction can be the downfall of any writer, no matter how experienced, how talented. We cross no horizons if we never move from the comfort zone.
What with all the discussion of ratings, merit, complacency, commentary and the like in the past week or so, please be aware that management is walking a thin line between making Gather.com a roaring success for the investors and making Gather.com a roaring success for the users. These goals work off one another and despite the occasional wobble, the refining of an online product takes time and tweaking. Gather is still a new entity, growing and evolving, and we are a part of that evolution. The bottom line is that we are all passionate about this place. We're management. We're Gatherites and Gatherholics. We're talented, creative folk. We want this place to be a venue for seasoned professionals and hopeful amateurs, gathering into groups of special interest where we interact. Will agents and publishers cruise Gather, looking for new talent. You don't think they're already here? Think again.
Copyright © 2006 by Annina L. Anton
For the past forty years, Annina L. Anton has been an editor, publisher, gal of all trades, and columnist for a variety of periodicals and publishers, including The Laureate Press, The Page, Connect Magazine, and Dustbooks, publisher of The International Directory of Little Magazines & Small Presses. She was Production Manager of The Ridge Gazette, a northern California weekly newspaper, and while overseas with her USN husband, worked for the Navy Welfare and Recreation Department's publishing office. Her fiction and poetry has been published in a variety of chapbooks and science fiction/fantasy/horror magazines.
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Comments: 58
I agree with all 6 points you make. They make great guidelines.
As you say, vague comments, either favorable or unfavorable, are usually less than helpful. Over-the-top or insincere praise may not be as harmful as the self-aggrandizing critique, but it can be hard to trust.
The one exception I can think of to this would be a genuine, "That was fun!"
I think one important aspect of this is to take the time to try to understand what the writer is really trying to accomplish. Many people who post here are basically putting bits of their personal journals online, while others are clearly pursuing artistic growth. It seems to me that both goals are valid. I see this sort of range in all of my groups and adjust any critique accordingly.
A very good and appropriate piece (and that's no empty praise).
- mike
The intent and tone of the critic is irrelevant. The constructiveness of a criticism is given to it by the intelligence of the criticised. Otherwise all criticism is useless. there are useless criticisms-"this stinks' is not much help-but "this really stinks because...."if the because is useful don't fret about the tone. Politically correct criticism is for teenagers.
HL
I liked this!
Only kidding! A cogent, well thought-through how-to. This type of thing is particularly important for Gather since newbies to the writing field likely outnumber the pro's 100 to 1. Most of us (I include myself) haven't had any coaching, editing or formal training before (at least since school).
Much appreciated! This should be on permanent link to the home page.
Are you listening Gather editors?
On number 6, you mentioned, "...self-satisfaction can be the downfall of any writer, no matter how experienced, how talented. We cross no horizons if we never move from the comfort zone." What do you do about the opposite personality, one who never acquires the ability to see good in their work?
Your Tutorial is a gem worth treasuring. Thanks! G
That being said, praise has its place. As a peer tutor for the English department at my university, I was told to always begin a critique by telling the author what was good about it. Without lying, embellishing or being disingenuous or condescending, I had to be able to identify what the writer had done well. Doing so almost always got the writer to lower his or her defenses a bit and to be more accepting of advice.
And #6 gets my vote all the damn way. Empty praise BEGONE!
Thanks
(1) An, 'I like this' comment is not always vacuous - what is left unsaid can speak volumes. Moreover, a 'reviewer' might in fact like the article but without really knowing why - in which case, it is a affirmation that something has worked.
(2) Critiques can fall into the trap of 'I'd write it this way' which is stylistic editing - my way of writing this may not necessarily be better than yours but could, in fact, be worse.
(3) There are those who want feedback on the content (the ideas, conclusions, etc.) rather than on the form (the way the ideas are expressed). That is, they want feedback on WHAT is said rather than on HOW it is said.
On a personal note, in poetry I often deliberately embed abstract messages/ themes in the imagery. The contrasting and contending images are intended to convey the impact of otherwise somewhat vague messages. A critique of the form misses the point entirely. The content is in the imagery as a whole. This might only make sense to me, but so be it.
Magi
This is especially good advice. I think it takes a great deal of time and effort to post something - like you have here and that in itself is worthy of congratulations. Sometimes - budding writers do need to be pruned but I am not sure if a public forum is the place for this.
Great advice.
To quote Bill Gates: "Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose."
MIKE B - Agreed. There are times that a short, sweet comment like, "This was fun!" is entirely appropriate and helpful as well.
HAROLD - There are times that even sharply-worded feedback is helpful, and writers need to harden their shells and take the opportunity to look at their work from different perspectives. I'm not so sure that the term "political correctness" applies to criticism, nor that cordiality is the mark of the juvenile. In my opinion, honest but cordial feedback is a hallmark of the professional. There is always an alternative to the fiercely-worded bluntness that hurts. Sometimes a sting suffices.
JOSEPH P - Good points on the lack of rework and resubmission here. Encouraging just that would result in the growth of writers and their skills. Tell me, when somebody is thrown out of the ring in a Mexican wrestling match, do they nearly always fall on the American reporter's table?
SERINA - That comment, "Lousy, write something else," wasn't terribly helpful, but at least they didn't say, "Lousy, you should give up writing." And there are times when responding to such comments only encourages them. I'd be lying if I didn't agree that comments like that hurt, but I have developed the habit of looking at them as grist for the mill, processing them, and then letting them go.
ADAM - Good point about starting with what is good about the piece before getting to that which needs work. Sometimes it's hard to come up with something positive to say, but we need to try.
KAREN - Hahaha! Peer criticism followed by duels. I love it!
MAGI - Good points all. #1 - There are times when a simple statement like, "I like this," is just fine, for the reasons you state. My beef with it is if a person makes it habitual. #2 - Telling a writer how you'd write his piece can sometimes be helpful, but for the most part it is, like you said, a trap. #3 - Absolutely. Gather is not a how-to-write group, it's a venue for writers and all of the styles they embrace, including issues and content that is intended to garner comments, not literary criticism. Thanks for making these points.
NATHAN - "Sometimes - budding writers do need to be pruned but I am not sure if a public forum is the place for this." I agree. As I said to Magi, Gather isn't a how-to-write forum. It should foster a synthesis of feedback on content as well as style and craft.
Again, my thanks to all who have commented! Great work!
Your article has caused me to stop and ponder whether my method of commenting is worthwhile. I often tell writers that I enjoyed their piece, and will point out portions of the work which I found to be particularly enjoyable or compelling. Normally, I will send a "gather mail" to another member if I feel that there is additional critique which might be of benefit, but not necessarily appreciated in a public forum. I'm sure the perception is that I'm Pollyanna-Eternal-Sunshine, based on what everyone reads. Perhaps not the best face to put forward in our community.
There have been articles and photos that I haven't commented on at all, even though I've read them carefully. If I can't make some positive comment I just don't.
Magi
One thing I am is a writer--one who has been on hiatus for five years, content to write in my journals, fill out memes and quizzage, not daring to return to the kind of daily writing I used to do, nor submitting my work to publishers. Gather has reminded me that I've ceased to work at my potential, giving up my craft to the stresses of chronic disease and other challenges. Becoming an active part of a community of writers of all sorts has tweaked my creative juices. By commenting, critiquing, inviting others to do likewise with my own work, I'm putting down roots and regaining a balanced writing life. Writing this piece has given me a clearer vision of where I want to go here on Gather. I'm going to make a conscious effort to giving helpful feedback as well as putting the critiques given my work to good use.
I do that too, which for someone who has made a living judging other writer's work ,is incongruous and unbalanced. Part of it is related to time constraints, but I must admit that I've been reluctant to go all the way in with constructive criticism. I think that I owe it to my new writer friends to be more honest and helpful in my comments.
I get what you're saying, and to a point I totally agree. Complacency holds us back, and giving out blanket approval can be harmful. I never said people should be nice for the sake of it. The point I was trying to make here was that even tearing apart somebody's work can be done with civility. I've been online since 1989, and in that time I've seen highly successful interactive groups devolve into slamming and name-calling because the community changed from discouraging the use of rude remarks to accepting them as normal, to encouraging them. By then those who had made the group productive and enjoyable had already quit. What was left was flame-war central.
Again, it is entirely possible--and I believe it to be essential--to offer feedback, even totally negative feedback, without stooping to dismissive slamming. For example, I saw a Gather comment the other day in which the commenter said something like, "...learn something about poetry and stop writing crap like this." It was a dismissive power-trip, an attempt to burst balloons, and it really did the person getting slammed no good at all. Worst of all, it was the first comment the new member received to the first poem they posted. I seriously doubt that they will return to Gather. Is this the climate we want to encourage? I doubt it.
Niceness? It doesn't mean you can't tell the truth. It is a conscious effort to control the manner in which you do it. High road or low road? It's up to you, and it will have an effect on the community.
I have seen even some good writers recoil and strike back at an honest (and polite) critique. The reason may be that they being above-average writers, have already got a fan following and are used to only "sweet comments" (not critique) from their fans.
Flayed passions are unavoidable in a hardball game like this. It is a good suggestion to take a cool shower or to take a walk across the block.
One thing people should be aware of when commenting on the web is that we tend to give little time to the pieces of work we are commenting on. If I am doing a serious critique I will read it at least three times over the space of a few days before putting finger to keyboard. So if comment boards do seem like a mutual arse kissing club at times it is perhaps more to do with the nature of the web than with the thoughts of the commenter.
Ian
It is easy to jump around, and lose focus since the group intent is not always known. Same goes for the people submitting articles.
Many Groups also don't have a very clear description on what the purpose of forming the group was either.
Thank you so much for posting this article. I think your number 3 point really put things into perspective for me. It's not what you say, it's how you say it. I've always known this to be true but I haven't given it much thought here on Gather. I will definitely try to keep that in mind as I comment now. Thanks again.
This (or something similar) should be required reading before sign-ons are granted the privledge of posting, rating and commenting.
You done good, kid.
Thanks for a great article - perfect for the Constructive Criticism group. I have made this a Featured Article there. I truly appreciate your sharing these words of wisdom and hope they will encourage moreto give and take constructive criticism.
I hope people use your tips to tell people what they think. Having managed people I have had to learn to master giving constructive feedback without making the person feel bad. I've found that for me what works is to find something that was done well and start with that. Add in what I believe could be improved. And finish with something else that I liked.
If I can't think of anything to improve I will simply tell them why I liked it. If I can't think of anything I liked, I have a little more difficulty in giving feedback, but I will work on it.
Thank you for the tips Annina.
On the downside, after re-reading the comments, I noticed so many names that are no longer on Gather. :-(
Frankly, I am leery of all these 10's flying around like a cotton candy machine spun out of control. I want c-r-i-t-i-c-i-s-m, not sugar-sweetness with no thought behind it. Yes, I love it when someone constructively praises my pieces, and I try to do the same, but when I get a personal invite to critique a piece, I feel obligated to be honest and helpful, rather than to praise like a helium-loaded cheerleader. I hope that writers don't expect 10's all of the time, as then there is no growth.