The Value of a Good Critique by Jen Cudmore

The Value of a Good Critique by Jen Cudmore

Allowing someone to read your rough draft is always a bit scary, no matter how many books you’ve written! And yet a good critique can be so valuable in the long process of writing a book. 

Even veteran writers understand that it takes another set of eyes to catch things they didn’t notice, to point out where the plot fell flat or the characters were too boring or the details didn’t match. We all need someone to come alongside us and help us stay on track to produce the best story we can.

Novice writers must develop thick skin in order to see a critique as a chance to grow rather than focusing on what went wrong. The first time I handed off one of my manuscripts to a professional, she tore it to shreds! I had only been writing for a couple years, so I knew I had a lot to learn, but I was shocked when I saw her comments, many of which I didn’t understand at first. Looking back, I’m grateful for her feedback because I was able to learn so much from that critique.

Joining a writers group can be very helpful. Critique partners help to sharpen and fine-tune a story. They help us flush out the good ideas from the bad and offer suggestions that we never considered.

I like to have a professional edit of my stories. I work with a fabulous best-selling author who coaches me through all my stories and gives me suggestions on how to make them better without telling me exactly what I must do. The best critiques are those that get your brain swirling in all sorts of directions as you try to come up with a better way to write that one sentence, paragraph, scene, or chapter.

My first novel, Athena Creek, was reviewed in part by 7 writing professionals, all who gave me various amounts of feedback that ultimately helped to shape the book. I'm ever grateful for the time those people invested in me!