The Wattys Boot Camp Mentorship Program is back for 2023! Have you written a story that you plan to submit to the Wattys? If the answer is yes, you've come to the right place. This program helps you prepare your submission to make it the best it can...
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👉 Finding the right match
Critique partnerships are about reciprocation, which makes this relationship more comprehensive than a one-sided beta read. You will need to find someone who not only enjoys your style but who understands the subject matter. Select someone within your niche who knows the tropes of your trade.
For example: romance writers are expected to give their readers a happy ending but horror writers are not.
Choose a partner whose skills you admire. Take the time to evaluate their work and decide how committed they are to the craft. This might take the form of looking at the number of stories they've published/posted, how often they publish content, and what type of engagement they have with their audience.
👉 Be generous with your time, but spend it wisely
It takes time to do a thoughtful review of someone else's work. Agree on a realistic meeting schedule so both parties feel their time is respected. When you get someone's pages, you should read them at least twice: the first time to get a sense of the piece, then again to make margin notes. If possible, let a day or two go by to let your thoughts incubate before providing your final comments.
It will be helpful to decide ahead of time which areas each of you need help with. You probably know where your weaknesses lie, so convey this to your partner and ask them to keep an eye out for these things. Make a list of specifics to focus on, such as spelling, punctuation, overall plot, etc. And make your notes easy to digest. Either use Track Changes in Word or make your suggestions with comments in Google Docs. (See our chapter titled Critique Checklist for a helpful list topics to focus on with your partner.)
👉 When it's your turn to critique, start with the positives
Keep in mind that you are reviewing a work in progress, not a finished product. You are there to point out the good bits and the problems, and do it in a way that helps your partner improve so eventually they will notice these things for themselves.
If you've enjoyed a passage, try to stay away from words like "good" and "I liked it" because these don't explain why you enjoyed it. Be specific and give context, such as "This passage is strong. With just a few words, I feel as though I understand a lot about the main character's relationship with her mother."
The sandwich method is a long-trusted technique used when tact is needed to communicate difficult feedback. You basically sandwich it between compliments. Start with a positive comment, follow this up with the potential problem you found, then finish with words of praise.
For example: "This character has a great perspective on the conflict, however they are not the POV character in this chapter, so the transition to their POV took me out of the scene for a moment. You may want to take some time to decide which character's POV would be best for this chapter and use them, as I feel you have included a very interesting plot point here."
👉 Deliver your comments as suggestions, not judgments
Be clear and direct, and don't apologize for your interpretations, but keep a healthy measure of humility. Use your inner filter first before sharing feedback, and think how it might land on you if you were receiving it.
The objective is to offer helpful suggestions. It is up to your partner to choose whether they use your suggestions as they revise their work. Don't get too attached to your opinions, and keep a light hand. Just like you, your partner hopes to leave the session with a sense of "Aha!" — not "Oh, no!"
👉 Empathize with restraint, celebrate with abandon
We all know that writing is hard, and we've chosen to do it anyway. But beware of lengthy bitch fests or sour rants on the unfairness of the industry, the fickleness of the reading public, or how Amazon has ruined everything (it hasn't). Past a certain point, kvetching becomes a drag on your spirits. It's important to offer compassion, but spin it to encouragement as soon as possible.
On the other hand, when a crit partner has some success: a story published, a call from their dream agent, or the big one — a book deal, stifle that little green voice of envy and get busy popping the champagne corks. You are part of that writer's success, after all. It may be your name in their acknowledgment section one day, and you can hit them up for a blurb for your back cover when it's your turn.
👉 Stick to agreed upon deadlines
Treat your critique partner as you would want to be treated. Once you establish a turnaround time for feedback, make it a priority to meet that commitment, and if you can't, let them know right away. Again, this comes back to the matter of time and respect. Both are precious. If handled in the right way, a crit partner can stay with you for a lifetime, and a relationship like that is precious indeed.
