The Value of Critiques

Critiques...oo, we sometimes shy away from them. They can be painful. They can be uncomfortable. And yet they are the best tool we could hope for when it comes to developing and fine-tuning our skills.

We need good, objective and solid feedback from other people; that is what a critique in all about. A good critique gives honest feedback from other people on how well are we reaching our objectives. Critiques enable us to more clearly see at what level our skills are at present, and when done over time allows us to see and measure our own progress in our creative endeavors.

Critiques are also inherent in business, although they aren't called that. For publishers, one vital form of critique is the quarterly report. Again, that report allows us as publishers to objectively evaluate how well we are reaching our objectives. It allows us to identify areas which need strengthened as well as the areas in which we are doing well.

Critiques are extremely important in that they do allow us to get that objective viewpoint. This is an area in which writers and publishers intersect and unfortunately often can come into conflict. Writers give over their work to an editor for evaluation. There may not be a critique given to the writer when the publishing house is evaluating a proposal or manuscript; there simple isn't enough time for editors and publishers to be able to do it. However, once accepted for publication, the editorial process begins in earnest. That process is (hopefully) a series of critiques on the writer's work which will allow the writer an opportunity to get an objective view on their work.

It is important, especially for writers, to actively seek objective critiques, preferably throughout the creative process. One of my friends has what he calls "walls of wisdom." These are people he respects and whose opinions he values; he envisions himself bouncing his ideas and work off them rather like bouncing a ball against a wall (hence his nickname for them). He takes his ideas and his work to them and asks them, "what do you think?" He relies on them to give him honest feedback.

Honest feedback is the key. You are probably unable to evaluate your work to the degree that it really needs; as its creator, you will have a hard time putting the necessary objectivity in place. However, through asking for, working with and accepting the honest critiques of people whose opinions you respect, you can learn to develop more and more objectivity about your own work.

It is hard sometimes to take those critiques and accept the feedback you may get. Let's face it, as creative people, it is hard for us to sometimes remember that our work is not us. We dig within ourselves to birth this expression and it is expressing something about ourselves. Through the critique process, however, we are reminded that our work is separate from us, that it must be weighed and judged on its merits as a creative expression, not on our own merits as a person or even as a creator. Through the critique process, we can examine it in light of how well it is performing its function, how well it is expressing the concepts we are endeavoring to communicate to others. Through the critique process, it can be developed and honed; it can become the best it can be.

Use critiques. Listen to the feedback given to you. It is great to learn where your strengths lie, but it is even more important to your growth as a creative individual to learn what areas you need to work on. It is hard to know our weak areas; without honest feedback from others, we often would stumble along never knowing what was wrong...never knowing why a piece was not successful. Critiques are the invaluable tool of improvement. They are the tool of artistic growth.

Beth Peterson sits on both sides of the publishing/writing fence. She is the head of Cattails Publishing LLC and the author of "People Who Play God" and "The Hero's Guide to Protecting Yourself Against Harmful Relationships". She is also a trained working artist. Her art gallery can be viewed at www.wingedblue.com