If you’ve shared your writing before with friends and family, then you’re probably used to fairly vague feedback, whether positive or negative, e.g., ‘I really liked/didn’t like it’. When you share your writing at critique, you’re seeking feedback that is specific and constructive, e.g., ‘When you used that image, it helped/didn’t help me to see what was happening from your protagonist’s point of view.’.
With that in mind, you mightn’t leave a critique session in a rosy glow (!) of praise but, ideally, after this kind of constructive critique you’ll have formed an idea of what things you might consider reworking or finessing so that your writing will be even better. It’s a good idea to only submit a piece for critique when it’s already the very best you can make it, and when you know the area or aspect about which you’d specifically like feedback.
As part of reviewing your own work prior to submitting it for critique, read it aloud to yourself. Is it making sense? Do you find you had to re-read sentences? Now is the time to reflect on both what and how you’ve written it.
Prior to critique, proofread spelling and grammar as thoroughly as you can. Check that you’ve formatted the manuscript to aid readability:
· Times New Roman font (or similar), 12 pt
· Margins 2.5 all round
· Line spacing double or 1.5
(If you learned to type on a manual typewriter you’ll be used to using two spaces after full-stops. These days, only one space after a full stop is used.)
Submitting Process
Select approximately 1,000-1,500 words that you want critiqued and make that into a separate document. Note that critique might focus on a sub-section of that, depending on time constraints.
· Put a title and your name at the top of the first page, and number all pages.
· Briefly describe the context (e.g. written in for a competition or chapter 5 in my memoir etc).
· State what specific area/aspect you’re seeking feedback about.
· Send to the critique convenor as soon as possible after the critique meeting is called. The first four or five pieces to arrive will be selected.
The convenor will send the pieces to all members who’ve indicated they are attending and will also put them onto Google Drive, where they can be critiqued by those not attending
the meeting. (Note that it is good manners to provide critique for the pieces submitted by other members for that group meeting!)
Bring along a few spare copies of your piece for members who might not have already received them (no need to do this for the Zoom group).
During Critique Group
The pieces submitted will be critiqued in the order in which they were received by the critique convenor. Within our critique groups, each submitted piece is read aloud by someone other than the author.
While you have opportunities to read your own work aloud to friends in other settings, it is only in the critique group that you will have the opportunity to hear how your reader will process the words and sentences that you have written. For example, you will be able to take a note of which words and sentences tripped them up or were difficult to read. Typically, you’ll find yourself marking up your own copy with ‘notes to self’ to consider later, even before you get any feedback from the other participants.
The critique convenor will then chair what will be, no doubt, a lively discussion for about 20-30 minutes (depending on the time available) which aims to help guide your continued work on that piece of writing. There is no pressure for the writer to accept a suggestion. The writer’s decision is final. You, the writer, retain the rights over your work – always.
We hope you’ll agree that critique offers us all a powerful tool to constantly improve our writing.
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Lake Macquarie Branch, Fellowship of Australian Writers 