JB's Top 5 Crit Tips for Beginners

[Andrea345]

I am new to critique and definitely need the practice. Is it okay to do the best critique I can in, say, the "LOVE" category? I see most critiques are "I feel this way too" or "I love this poem". If someone asks for c&c, should I give it my best shot?

[JohnBoddie]

Absolutely!


There are a few things to keep in mind:


1. You are trying to provide feedback to the author that will be useful in helping the author understand what works and what doesn't work in the poem.


2. Try to find something specific that you like in the poem - a specific image, possibly an imaginative word choice. Tell the author what it was. This is far more helpful than saying "I really like this."


3. If you find something you don't understand, ask the author what was meant. It's helpful to an author to know where his or her audience is confused.


4. If you find something specific that you don't like, identify it and tell the author why you didn't like it.


5. If you read a poem and find that it is filled with spelling and punctuation errors, don't spend time on it. The author, by not preparing the poem to be read,is showing that he or she does not value your time. Why should you think the author would value your opinion in this situation?


As you read more, you will begin to form a richer idea of what constitutes "good poetry." This, in turn, will make your comments more valuable to the authors.

You won't be able to improve your reviewing skills unless you actually write reviews.


JB

[This message has been edited by JohnBoddie (edited 04-01-2001).]

[Andrea345]

Thank you for taking the time to write an introduction to reviewing. I'm saving it to keep in mind while I write my reviews and while I revise my own poems before posting.

Never having written a review before posting to the PFFA, I didn't realize how much it helps me in my own work.

Thanks again for the effort.
-a

[This message has been edited by Andrea345 (edited 04-01-2001).]

[FireFlower]

Honesty is very important when you are critting. http://www.everypoet.com/poetry/poetry_forums/smile.gif Dive into the fray!

Good luck!

Fire