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How to critique a short story in an on-line writing group

On-line writing groups exist for the development of those people that want to be writers, and the critique's job is a hard one, although if directed in a positive light, can help the writer to develop without making them feel that they are a failure.

One of the most important aspects of any kind of writing is being able to accept that criticism and rejection are part of the territory, although moreso at the time that writers attempt to get their work published rather than in the learning phases.

The kind of critique that should take place within a writer's group should include:

*Education about rejection.
*Positive feedback
*Approach to strengthening weaknesses
*Straightforward, easy to understand critique

EDUCATION ABOUT REJECTION

Rejection can be viewed as a positive step forward for a writer if they are taught at the initial stages of learning on a writers group how to use rejection to advance their skills. Rejection teaches the writer many things, and when critiquing, one of these is to use the tool of rejection to understand the markets to which you submit work.

Here, students should be recommended to keep records of the rejections, because what this will tell them is which market does not like a particular piece of writing. It's a great tool, and through the course of a writing career will prove useful in determining which markets are the right ones for which kind of work.

Just because one Editor doesn't like that particular work doesn't mean it has no value. Another editor may love it, so when performing a critique it is essential to teach acceptance of rejection.

POSITIVE FEEDBACK

Positive feedback doesn't mean telling someone that their work is wonderful if it isn't. What it does is feed the writer with information as to their strengths. Here, being fed that information, the writer can then start to work on their weaknesses. A negative critique with no mention of positivity means that a writer will be put off their craft and will not develop to their full potential, and thus the critique fails.

APPROACH TO STRENGTHENING WEAKNESSES

Here, talking about the weak areas of the story that has been read, explaining to the writer how they can overcome their difficulties in a clear manner helps considerably. Most people are logical and can follow logical conclusion. If a critique takes the time to show examples of how certain aspects of the written word can be approached in a different manner, giving examples, very

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