How to give/receive critiques

• Your critique should help the writer to improve the piece – what works and what doesn’t. Honesty is the best policy.
• Don’t offer your personal anecdotes. Comment on writing issues only. Be brief.
• Irrelevant discussion will be cut off.
• Unless asked a direct question, writers don’t respond or defend their work.
• If you are not open to suggestions for revision, do not present your piece. If it is already exactly the way you want it, there is nothing to improve.
• Critiques should be genuine attempts to improve the work. They should never be cutting, nasty, ridiculing or snobby.
• If the critique completely misses the point or is flat wrong, don’t respond. Just mentally dispense with the comment.
• Remember, it’s your piece. Never blame someone for suggestions they provided. You’re the one responsible for revisions.