Growing as a Writer Through Critiques by Sherrinda Ketchersid

We have all been there as writers – the place where our work has been marked through with a red pen, shredded, chewed, and thrown out as worthless. Whether it be in contest scores, a writer’s group, or a critique partner, we have experienced the pain of a hurtful critique.

Last year I changed direction from writing historical and attempted to write a YA story. I entered a writing contest and when I received scores back from the judges, I was devastated. Comments like “This does not sound like YA.” and “From a YA perspective, it’s not believable.” really hurt my heart. Out of all the contestants, I ranked next to last. Ouch!

So what is a writer to do? Besides stuffing my mouth with chocolate, I gave the feedback some time to sit, then reevaluated the critiques. You know what? What the judges said was true. My writing was not YA material. I could see their point and was able to embrace their words for what it was…truth.

Things to consider when receiving critiques:

• You want to grow as a writer, so have an open mind. What things can you learn from the suggestions given?
• Has more than one critique pointed out the same problems? If so, consider this a confirmation you need to fix the issue.
• Ask questions and get clarification if you are confused by the critique.
• Remember that writing and reading is subjective. Ultimately, you can choose not to make changes to your story.

Those who critique other people’s work need to learn the best way to offer feedback. I am part of two different critique groups. One group is online and the other is a group that meets together twice a month to read their work aloud for critique. These groups have taught me invaluable lessons in giving construction critiques.

Things to consider when giving a critique:

• Always start off with praise for the good things you find in the other person’s work. This sets the tone for critique and acts as a buffer for the criticism to come.
• Don’t use harsh words. Be considerate and offer suggestions to correct the problem.
• YES: Your dialogue is fantastic and I feel like I’m right there, but I’m pulled out of the scene with the dialogue tags. Instead of using “she yelled”, you could use an action beat that shows her anger.
• NO: You use way too many dialogue tags.
• If there is an issue with plot or scenes not moving forward, help the writer brainstorm ideas to bolster areas that need improvement.
• While you want to be gentle in your critique, you do want to be honest. To give only praise to a new writer won’t make them a better writer. Give constructive criticism to help them improve.

Receiving criticism is not for the faint of heart, but if we want to grow as writers, we need to embrace each and every critique with an open mind. You have asked for feedback, so cull through the critique and learn ways to become a better writer. That is the end goal.

What about you? What have you learned from critiques? How have you grown as a writer from giving critiques? I would love to hear your experiences!

Sherrinda Ketchersid is a born and bred Texan, preacher’s wife, and mother to 4 children. With the children grown and out of the house, she weaves tales of fierce knights and their ladies in a time where men were warriors and women had to be strong enough to keep them in check.

After taking time off from writing, she has returned with a new motto in place to spur her on. “Writers write. Everyone else makes excuses.” Jack Bickham.  No excuses this time. She is weaving her love of romance with history to bring joy and the hope of love to those who may one day read her stories.

Personal blog: Sherrinda.com
Twitter: @sherrinda
Instagram: @sherrinda