[stylist] Has someone ever criticized your writing before?

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

Vejas,

I've never had anyone be quite that blunt about it, but yes, I've had
people imply they just didn't enjoy something I wrote at all. 

My background is a workshopping one meaning I'm use to environments
where peers read each others work then provide feedback, good and bad.
Critiqueing is meant to help a writer learn what is working and what
isn't working. You can point out grammar and spelling errors, but it's
meant to go deeper. Constructive criticism should focus on the writing,
its format, construction, development. In my classes, we were told to
not just state whether we liked something or not, but to expand on our
thoughts and analyze writing. We may not have always enjoyed a
particular subject matter or style, but even within material we
personally don't enjoy, you can still determine if the writing is good
or not.

So for someone to say they hate your writing and not back it up with
anything of helpfulness or use to you is not constructive criticism at
all, and their opinion holds no weight. Critiqueing must contain
something of substance. To just say it's good or bad, you liked it or
hated it, has no substance at all. These comments need something to back
it up, to support the claims.

If you care enough, ask them for specifics; what exactly about a
particular story they don't like or understand.

Also be honest with yourself. Take any feedback and analyze your own
writing. Is their any merit in such comments? Where can you work on your
writing. Take opportunities like this to learn and grow. Make a negative
a positive.

Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter, editor, Slate & Style
Read my blog at:
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
 
"If we discover a desire within us that nothing in this world can
satisfy, we should begin to wonder if perhaps we were created for
another world."
C. S. Lewis

Message: 12
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:45:28 -0800
From: vejas <brlsurfer at gmail.com>
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Subject: [stylist] has someone ever criticized your writing before?
Message-ID: <50e60a2f.04d3e00a.064f.1044 at mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed

Hi,
I know that in the past we have been talking about critiquing.  A 
good critique is very helpful and gives insight.  What I mean is, 
has anybody ever told you your work was awful and they hated it? 
I'm just wondering because that has happened to me, and I don't 
think it's a real critique.  Don't worry, it's not from this 
list.
Vejas