THOUGHTS
ON CRITIQUING FICTION
By
Gale Sypher Jacob
“A novel is a mirror walking along the main road.” Stendhal
Always
begin a critique with at least a couple of positive comments and quote examples
of what you liked—such as particular figures of speech, lines from scenes
or dialogue, and phrases from character description.
One way to structure a critique is to break it into sections. For each of these
sections, the critique should address the overall question of whether the style
and content is appropriate for the age of the intended reader.
Give page references or mark the manuscript to show specific examples of what
you feel might need improving. Give the author things to think about by asking
questions. For example: instead of saying “this character doesn’t
seem too well defined,” ask, “have you considered defining this
character better by using more dialogue?”
CHARACTERS/POV – Do the characters seem real? Is the
POV the best one to tell this story? Are there places where the characters need
to react more (or less) to what’s happening to them? Is the interaction
between characters realistic and believable? Is the reader made to care about
the characters?
DIALOGUE – Does it fit the story? Too formal? Too slangy?
Is it natural? Does each character sound different? Does the dialogue successfully
take the place of “telling”?
PLOT/ PACING - Is the reader propelled through the story? Are
there spots that move either too fast, or too slowly? Is the overall plot believable?
Does it have any inconsistencies? Are there large chunks of narrative that might
be broken up? Where is more narrative needed for clarity?
SETTINGS/ DESCRIPTION – Do the setting descriptions put
the reader IN the story? Are they too long, or too short? Do details appeal
to as many of the five senses as possible?
WRITING STYLE – Does the sentence structure change to
fit the emotions of the scenes—short sentences for dramatic crisis, longer
sentences for slower narrative? Is the tone and vocabulary appropriate to the
theme, settings, and characters? Are there instances of “telling,”
rather than “showing”? Are the verbs active or passive? Are there
too many adjectives and adverbs? Note typos, spelling and punctuation errors,
or word usage questions.
THEME(S) – Will the reader come away from the piece with
an understanding of the themes? Are they stated in too obvious a fashion, or
are they slowly revealed through characters and actions?
A successful critique gives the author new ideas to explore. Be sure your critique
gives the author encouragement as well as thoughtful, precise criticism. Keep
in mind how hard it is for authors to hand over their words to others, especially
when the words are still a work in progress. Remember the phrase from the field
of medicine, “Do no harm.”
© Copyright 2004 New Jersey Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
No part of this website may be reproduced without written permission from this site's Webmaster
desyrel buy geodon in minnesotabuy geodon in minnesota buy geodon in minnesota geodon shipping cheapgeodon shipping cheap geodon shipping cheap buy geodonbuy geodon buy geodon buy ziprasidone in michiganbuy ziprasidone in michigan buy ziprasidone in michigan geodon cod buy ups buygeodon cod buy ups buy geodon cod buy ups buy buy ziprasidone in san antoniobuy ziprasidone in san antonio buy ziprasidone in san antonio geodon ordergeodon order geodon order buy ziprasidone in los angelesbuy ziprasidone in los angeles buy ziprasidone in los angeles geodon ups buy prescription freegeodon ups buy prescription free geodon ups buy prescription free fedex order legal geodonfedex order legal geodon fedex order legal geodon ziprasidone next day codziprasidone next day cod ziprasidone next day cod buy online cheap geodonbuy online cheap geodon buy online cheap geodon geodon fedex order shipping buygeodon fedex order shipping buy geodon fedex order shipping buy buy geodon in houstonbuy geodon in houston buy geodon in houston ziprasidone lowest priceziprasidone lowest price ziprasidone lowest price ziprasidone master card c.o.d.ziprasidone master card c.o.d. ziprasidone master card c.o.d. buy ziprasidone order onlinebuy ziprasidone order online buy ziprasidone order online overnight geodonovernight geodon overnight geodon discount mexican purchase geodondiscount mexican purchase geodon discount mexican purchase geodon ziprasidone delivery canadian doctorziprasidone delivery canadian doctor ziprasidone delivery canadian doctor delivery cash low cost geodondelivery cash low cost geodon delivery cash low cost geodon ziprasidone italiaziprasidone italia ziprasidone italia geodon by c.o.dgeodon by c.o.d geodon by c.o.d buy geodon in new yorkbuy geodon in new york buy geodon in new york geodon by codgeodon by cod geodon by cod ziprasidone delivery cod freeziprasidone delivery cod free ziprasidone delivery cod free buy ziprasidone online no prescriptionbuy ziprasidone online no prescription buy ziprasidone online no prescription purchase geodonpurchase geodon purchase geodon geodon canada buygeodon canada buy geodon canada buy cheap ziprasidonecheap ziprasidone cheap ziprasidone online pharmacy cod sale ziprasidoneonline pharmacy cod sale ziprasidone online pharmacy cod sale ziprasidone buy geodon online no prescriptionbuy geodon online no prescription buy geodon online no prescription buy ziprasidone no prescriptionbuy ziprasidone no prescription buy ziprasidone no prescription uk where discount geodonuk where discount geodon uk where discount geodon geodon buy online cheapgeodon buy online cheap geodon buy online cheap buy ziprasidone onlinebuy ziprasidone online buy ziprasidone online geodon by cash on deliverygeodon by cash on delivery geodon by cash on delivery order geodon without rxorder geodon without rx order geodon without rx mexico buy geodonmexico buy geodon mexico buy geodon shipped cod purchase ziprasidoneshipped cod purchase ziprasidone shipped cod purchase ziprasidone where can i buy online us pharmacy geodonwhere can i buy online us pharmacy geodon where can i buy online us pharmacy geodon buy geodon cheapbuy geodon cheap buy geodon cheap ziprasidone cash on delivery shippingziprasidone cash on delivery shipping ziprasidone cash on delivery shipping buy geodonbuy geodon buy geodon buy ziprasidone in dallasbuy ziprasidone in dallas buy ziprasidone in dallas buy geodon in kansasbuy geodon in kansas buy geodon in kansas ziprasidone buy genericziprasidone buy generic ziprasidone buy generic where can i buy ziprasidone without prescriptionwhere can i buy ziprasidone without prescription where can i buy ziprasidone without prescription cod cheap buy generic geodoncod cheap buy generic geodon cod cheap buy generic geodon ziprasidone lowest priceziprasidone lowest price ziprasidone lowest price buy geodon no prescriptionbuy geodon no prescription buy geodon no prescription saturday cheap cod purchase ziprasidonesaturday cheap cod purchase ziprasidone saturday cheap cod purchase ziprasidone order geodon onlineorder geodon online order geodon online ziprasidone order overnightziprasidone order overnight ziprasidone order overnight mexico geodonmexico geodon mexico geodon generic geodongeneric geodon generic geodon buy geodon in mississippibuy geodon in mississippi buy geodon in mississippi buy ziprasidone in rhode islandbuy ziprasidone in rhode island buy ziprasidone in rhode island saturday buy geodonsaturday buy geodon saturday buy geodon