Saturday Writers Critique by email

Critique by Email

Critique in your jammies! When you can't get a sitter! When you're feeling unsocialable!

Saturday Writers offers Critique by Email
to our members.

Information about this members-only service is listed below and you may contact
emailcrit@saturdaywriters.org if you have questions or need further information.

To begin: Read the guidelines listed below, then contact the group coordinator at emailcrit@saturdaywriters.org

The Basics:

This is a service we provide for our members only. If you haven't joined or aren't current, please join or renew prior.
To join send an email to emailcrit@saturdaywriters.org

For the Author:

Send e-mail to emailcrit@saturdaywriters.org with a WORD Document attached and include the info requested in 7 below. This will forwarded to the group members.
Prose pieces are limited to 1 per person per two week period
Poetry pieces are limited to 2 per person per two week period.
WORD Documents only. If you use Google Docs (or other cloud-based systems), do a "save as Word" to your computer prior to sending, or "email as attachment" and select Word Document. If you only use a cloud-based computer, the documents you receive should open in whatever system you use. To return your comments to the author, please send them in a Word file or embed your comments in the email.
Prose (fiction & non-fiction) - double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 font. Please number pages. No more than 10 pages.
Poetry - single-spaced, Times New Roman, maximum of 50 lines.
You must include the following information with your piece for critique:
(copy & paste as needed)
1. Email address where critiques should be returned.
2. Type of work (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, essay, picture book, etc).
3. Target Audience (adult, YA, children, who will enjoy reading your piece,etc).
4. Genre (if known)
5. Desire feedback (anything specific you want feedback on).
6. Other helpful info (submission part of a novel, short story, contest for xyz, due date, etc.)

Rules:

Remember: We are here to help one another become better writers - please be kind AND helpful to one another. Read BELOW for information on giving critique, and what to do when you receive your critique.

Critique by email is not monitored, however it is for Saturday Writers members only. Do not share pieces with anyone for any reason.
Always remember the work you receive for critiquing is copyright protected by its author.
Please keep graphic, gratuitous sex, violence, and crude language to a minimum.

For the Reader/Critique-r:

Critiques should be returned to the sender within 10 days of receipt.
Format for critique:

--- Comments can be embedded in Word document via the “Review” tab
OR
--- Comments can be typed in a new document, at the end of the piece or in the body of the email you send to the author.

**Find helpful information about giving critique in the article below.

When the critique is returned to you:

If there are further clarification questions about a critique of your piece - a specific point that you need explained - please email that member directly.
Remember not to defend your piece and create a debate. Just take what works for you and leave the rest.
Please consider sharing the critiques you receive. We all learn from exposure to the craft. If you choose to do this, please copy your results into ONE email and send to the group.

Tips for giving critique

General Examples of How to Give Critique on Prose

Saturday Writers is lucky to have a large, diverse group of writers with varying levels of experience. The purpose of our email critique group is for each of us to get help with our writing, as well as learn from one another. Below are some tips for giving a writer critique on their work. You may be experienced and have your own technique as well.

Some people prefer to read an entire piece prior to beginning their assessment of it in order to gain an opinion on the piece as a whole. This is personal choice. Either way, note on your first read through where you had to pause (due to confusion, boredom, etc.) This will be helpful to the author. You may feel differently about your comments after you have read the entire piece, but it will be helpful for the author to know what your thoughts were on your first reading of their work.

Understand how important your opinion, as a reader, is to an author. Be sure to always comment honestly. Don’t be afraid to tell what you don’t like (and why) as well what you do like (and why)

Some see critique as proofreading, or a time only to point out grammatical errors. While it is useful for an author to know when they’ve made a grammatical error in their writing, be sure to also look at the piece as a whole, as a reader might.

Let the writer know…

...when something moves you. Did a line make you laugh, were you saddened or anxious? Let the writer know, and let them know where in the story it happened.

...the manuscript didn’t make sense to you, let the reader know where and perhaps why it didn’t make sense.

...a sentence is too long (you would need to take a breath while reading it out loud)

...they've given incorrect facts, point it out. They may not know, or if may be helpful in some way for them to know that you noticed.

...they’ve repeated the same word enough times that it stands out for you.

...something can be worded better.

...they are using passive language, change tense or point of view.

Use your knowledge of the genre. Are you an avid romance reader and this person could benefit from your knowledge of the genre in some way? Have you seen an amazing plot twist in a book that would work well in a horror story you are critiquing?

Be mindful if all you read is military nonfiction (for example) that you may be critiquing a chick lit piece (for example). The piece isn’t written for you as an audience, so do point out what doesn’t work for you, but be mindful at the same time.

You've received critique. Now what??

Don't feed your piece to the dog! If you aren’t experienced at receiving critique it is easy to have hurt or confused feelings. It may be helpful to step away from the critique for a bit if you feel this way. No one is attacking you personally even though it may feel that way.

First and foremost – try not to defend your writing. It is okay if everyone does not love your piece the way you do. Think of how many books you skip over and don’t bother reading because you won’t enjoy them. We’re all different.

You may respond to the person that gave a critique ONLY IF you have a question or need clarification about something they said about your piece. If you understand everything they’ve said, but feel they just didn’t understand your work, do not email them to explain it. Instead, take a look at your piece and try to figure out why they didn’t understand. It could be that your piece needs more detail, or it could be that the reader simply isn’t a reader of your type of art.

A general rule of thumb is this:

When only one person says something specific about your piece - look at it, weigh it, consider it.

When several people say the same specific thing about your piece you should give their opinion more weight. Really look at what they said and consider it.

It is important to remember that above all – the work is yours. The critique you receive are opinions that belong to other people. You don’t have to do anything with any of the suggestions that are offered or you may choose to rework your piece and send it out for critique again.

POETRY CRITIQUE GUIDELINES & SUGGESTIONS
Answering these questions about their piece will be helpful
An acceptable way to read a poem that you will critique is to first read the entire poem, then listen to the poem or read it out loud, and finally to read it at an appropriate pace for full appreciation of the poem.
1. Did the poem interest you?

A. With something emotional?
B. With something new?
C. With something mentally stimulating?
D. If any of the above was yes, please explain briefly :

2. Was the poem understandable and clear at least on a surface level?

3. Did you find more than one level of meaning to the poem?

A. If yes elucidate:

4. Did you see parts that could be eliminated?

A. If yes which parts?

5. Could this poem be improved?

A. How?

6. Were there words, lines, etc. that seemed awkward?

A. If yes Identify by line and stanza number etc.

7.      Did your opinion vary on subsequent readings of the poem?

8.      Is this a difficult poem (Does not mean complex)?

9.      Will the average reader make an effort to understand this poem or is it too obscure?

10. Is it worth the effort if they do?