This week three people (the last one was a few minutes ago) sent me their stories/chapters for critique.

It seems a good time for a thread about critique etiquette. Note the use of 'should', not 'must'. These aren't rules/laws, just subjective observations.

Yes, you should seek critique for your stories. No, you should not thrust them upon a stranger.

The circumstances dictate what you do, but by and large, only send materials for critique to someone
who has agreed to do so.

This can be a mutual critique agreement, a paid arrangement or just a one-off favour (with prior agreement). Critique, when done well, takes time and effort.

You should format your work properly. This link has been active for *years* (definitely over a decade), and is probably never getting old :
https://www.shunn.net/format/story.html

Notice the word count. It helps people know what kind of time investment is involved in reading your work.

You should probably only send out your best work. Otherwise, you'll receive a critique telling you something you already know. And that's useless to you and a waste of time to the person you asked.

Remember: Nobody owes you a damn thing (unless you're paying them which is fine)

If you ask someone and they can't, move on. Don't get angry, don't get snipy, don't act out. The fact is, people are busy with their lives, their full time jobs, the arthritis of their beloved pet.

Most people write as a part-time thing.

Personally, I have a group of friends who sometimes can, sometimes can't critique my work based on their
availability. Good-faith mutual benefit goes a long way. A little give, a little take. That's how it works.

You can have this even as a newbie writer (ask @JaniceSSmith or @corona_hellisen how far back we go-it's over 15 years).

Having a group (or even a buddy-hi @MahtabNarsimhan !) goes a long way because another aspect of critique is trust.

It is difficult to accept critique if you don't trust the person feeding back to you. Your feelings may be hurt by their directness or vagueness or silence on a particular area. The fact is, there are any number of reasons people might be direct, vague or silent.

Most of the time none of these reasons have anything to do with you as a person.

For example, I might be an expert in biochemistry. I might be vague on many other aspects of craft but strangely specific on a particular factual error in your biopunk sci-fi epic. Allow it.

The point is, you sought out the critique. Don't take what comes back personally. If you hate it scream into a pillow or find a punching bag.

Then tell the person who took time out of their day to read your story "thank you for taking the time. I really appreciate it."

Leave it there.

Whether you agree with their notes or not isn't relevant.

And for the love of Bast and Toutatis, do not start justifying your authorial choices.

That kind of analysis if for you to do and work out, deciding what to accept and what to discard.

To repeat myself: anyone who takes time out to read your story and provide feedback is doing holy work.

If they don't have the time, it's not because they are evil.

The minimum appropriate response is *always* to say THANK YOU.

/End

Deploy other perspectives now!