Marina Oliver began her considered, measured and helpful talk with this observation of human nature:  ‘People ask for criticism but they hope for praise.’

Of course, we wish to be praised but, as writers, we must also expect and desire criticism. Marina reminded us of the importance of being self-critical and that we must always be prepared to set our manuscripts aside for a period of time. Then we can more easily come back to them with that fresh, and critical, eye.  Never, she said, rely on friends and family for objective criticism.

Marina illustrated her talk with many examples and anecdotes, including a few pointers on how NOT to do critiques. 

She reminded those of us on the receiving end that the criticism is not personal but rather it is a view on how our work could be improved. It is useful to get more than one opinion on our work, as different critiques may give different views. If two or three people are making the same observations about your manuscript, then it is perhaps time to consider those changes.

She shared with us a number of important tips on how to give criticism:
  • start the critique with a favourable comment
  • be encouraging and suggest ways for the writer to improve on techniques
  • try to understand what the writer is trying to do, even if it is not necessarily the kind of story you would normally read
  • you can use headings in your critique or employ a continuous narrative assessment
  • read the story to get an overall impression before considering specific elements
  • give careful consideration of the opening chapters of the story in the critique, as many editors will not read past the first few paragraphs or pages of a manuscript
  • is the plot clear; are the characters believable and real
  • does the dialogue work and fit with the characters; is there too much or too little dialogue
  • consider the pacing, timing and order of events in the story and does the story end in the right place
  • look at conflict in the narrative, how this is expressed and how the conflict is resolved
  • setting – is there enough description or too much
  • are there any superfluous scenes
  • is there a need to discuss the issue of ‘show’ v. ‘tell’
  • does the style of the book fit its intended market and is the format correct for submission
  • and always try to end on an upbeat note.

One thing which she said had a resonance for both givers and receivers of criticism.  She pointed out that in a critique, praise takes up little space but mentioning any faults and showing why and how they may be improved upon, requires many more lines on the page.

That is something I am certainly going to remember when I receive my NWS report back in a few weeks time.

Written by Lorna Fraser