The Importance of Critique for Improving Your Creative Writing

You have finished your manuscript. Congratulations! Now, you might be interested in sharing it with others and getting feedback on your writing. Critique exchanges with other writers is one of the easiest ways to do so at no cost but your time.

A critique exchange involves two writers reviewing and providing feedback on each other’s work. The most convenient way to arrange a critique exchange is through online writing communities on social media platforms, such as Discord, Reddit, and X (formerly known as Twitter). Personally, I prefer Discord for critique exchanges due to the smaller, tight-knit communities there which make it easy to communicate and approach fellow writers. And no, I am not sponsored by Discord (though I wish I was).

Through the writing servers on Discord, I have received feedback on my writing from readers/writers of various backgrounds and skill levels, amateurs and professionals alike. Likewise, I have provided feedback on a lot of manuscripts across different genres. Receiving and giving critique has been critical to advancing my creative writing skills along with growing my writing network and forming meaningful relationships with other writers.

Benefits of critique

The benefits of receiving a critique (a constructive one at least) are quite obvious. External feedback is valuable for pointing out the flaws and rough edges in your manuscript that you otherwise may not have noticed. The feedback is also valuable for informing you how to approach future writing projects.

Not all of the feedback you receive might be constructive or useful to implement. Some critiques may be given to you by bad actors who are more intent to bash your writing instead of helping you improve it. Even people acting in good faith may offer suggestions that are subjective and come down to stylistic preferences. Therefore, it is important to learn how to filter the helpful advice from the not-so-helpful advice, which is an intuitive skill honed through experience.

On the flip side, just as beneficial—if not more—is giving a critique. Critiquing the works of others is a great exercise for internalizing what effective and ineffective writing practices are. 

For example, when critiquing a friend’s work, you notice something off about the pacing in one of their scenes. The constructive feedback to your friend requires you to articulate in a clear and concise manner why the pacing feels off in the scene in question. By doing so, you enhance your own comprehension of what proper pacing in a story looks like which in turn allows you to better recognize and address pacing issues in your works.

Effectively, critiquing helps you consolidate your understanding of the principles of good writing and storytelling, from grammar and syntax to plotting and characterization.

Pointers for receiving a critique

• Be kind and respectful. You may not completely agree with the feedback you receive. Nonetheless, expressing your gratitude to the person who took the time to read through your work makes you come across as professional and sincere.

• Ask questions for elaboration but avoid arguments: Getting clarification for vague or unclear feedback helps better inform you on the next steps to take for polishing your manuscript. However, resist the urge to argue over contentious points. The critiquer has done their job of sharing their advice; your job is to now determine whether it is worth incorporating their advice, not arguing with them about it.

• Process feedback without taking it too personally: You poured your heart and soul into your manuscript. Naturally, you are going to get at least a little emotional when someone criticizes it. Recognizing this predisposition builds mental resilience for handling negative feedback.

Pointers for giving a critique

• Be specific. For example, instead of just saying ‘the pacing here feels off,’ pinpoint the issue and make concrete suggestions for addressing it: ‘the pacing here is too fast. You could add a brief description of the character’s reaction or inner thoughts to tighten the scene.’

• Respect the writer’s style. You and another writer may express the same idea differently (imagine how different Lord of the Rings would be if written in the style of JK Rowling or George RR Martin). Aim your feedback to help the writer bring out the best of their respective style, not change it.

• Avoid excessive grammar and syntax corrections. Critique is a great opportunity for quick grammar and syntax lessons. However, avoid making line-by-line edits, which is more likely to overwhelm the writer rather than help them. Focus your feedback on the plot, characters, pacing, etc. with advice on grammar and syntax served on the side or left to a professional editor.

• Do not be overly critical: While the purpose of critique is to identify weaknesses in a writer’s manuscript, you should avoid coming across as harsh, especially to beginners who are most prone to being discouraged from writing again after receiving an overly critical critique. Use your feedback to help ‘breadcrumb’ the writer in the right direction by being as positive and constructive as possible.

• Encourage follow-up conversations between you and the writer. These conversations are to clear up any misunderstandings and to learn more about the writer’s goals and vision for their manuscript, thereby allowing you to provide revised or additional feedback.

Connect and critique!

You are now ready to exchange critiques with your fellow writers online! Keep the above pointers in mind to help you establish a strong reputation for yourself as someone who is approachable and reliable for receiving and giving critiques.