Jun 062012
Sommer
My name is Sommer and I'm a writer from the Midwest. I am currently working on a YA novel about superheroes, reading as much as I can, blogging, and saving the world.My name is Sommer and I'm a writer from the Midwest. I am currently working on a YA novel about superheroes, reading as much as I can, blogging, and saving the world.
Creative criticism is an art. No matter how you say it, they often don’t like it or make the changes. Decide what’s more important the truth, or the friendship.
Oh, that’s a crappy place to be! But you play the devil if you lie as well.
Aww! Yeah, it’s not much fun when you come across those things. Even if you don’t know the person that well, it’s still hard to tell someone their manuscript needs more work. Honesty is best, though. Really. Even when it hurts.
Agreed!
Yup, I’ve been there. It brought an extra little sting when I suggested the WIP sounded awfully familiar to other stories and the writer thought that was a good thing. Um, not *quite* what I was going for.
I’ve seen you give crits before you and you were the DEFINITION of graceful and polite. You backed up each comment with examples and provided thoughtful feedback. Promise.
Actually, the fact that you are SO good at giving feedback is why I haven’t asked to send you any of my pages yet! I want to make sure you get the BEST STUFF POSSIBLE so I don’t waste your time!
Getting to critique your work would never be a waste of time! I can’t wait!
Thankfully I’m not actually in this situation now – but I have been.
It’s because you’re a good friend that you are worried about her reaction. BE a good friend and give the honest critique. But, like Jess mentioned, show her it’s not hopeless. I had a hard critique from my crit partner a couple of years ago and I still haven’t finished fixing the manuscript (yes . . . yes, it was that messed up
).
It’s because you have a good heart that you will do just fine with this. Not to worry.
-Chris
Only to those unwilling to accept a truly honest critique does such a voice sound like the devil. That has been me on a few occasions, but I’ve gotten a little better in not assuming the voice I hear is that of the devil
I have a first draft I have a ways to go to to get it critiqued. One person I know critiques hard and honest. It can get brutal and the blood spatter has always been purposeful.
It can be hard, but once a person opens their mind, accepts what works for them and what doesn’t, that voice loses the devilish tone and sounds like the angelic voice of someone only wanting the best for your MS.
as my crit partner says, the better the story is, the easier it is to tear apart.
This is really true!
Wow! That’s so true … we do sound like the devil when we give honest critiques and I’ve heard the devil’s voice many times myself.
But then, you know the old saying SHOW don’t TELL. I’ve benefited from critiques that actually took some of my mistakes and SHOWED me how to fix them. This is a tough business and there have been times I’ve actually quit critiquing. I don’t know who gets the worst end of it: the critiquer or the one being critiqued. 
For all the good it does, be sure to sandwich those suggestions between several slices of encouraging compliments.
Love this post. From now on when I critique, I’m going to FEEL like the devil.