The Art of Constructive Criticism - Comments

I agree about the "dear" "hon "sweetheart" thing. Not only does it make you sound condescending, but it makes people automatically write you off as a total snob, which means the chances of people seeking your advice ever ago is null to zero.

I take a Ad Design and New Media class (Graphic design basically), and we have to peer edit each other's work that's tacked to a big cork board. It's a small class so we all know who did what. At first we were kind of iffy about it, but after a while, we just became brutally honest with each other.

Criticism is a good thing, but only when you do it right. And it's always helpful to know what the hell you're talking about. I hate when people talk smack about things they don't even know about or understand. I love when people give me advice of how to make something look better, and that's all it should be. Help make something better, not tearing it completely apart and starting from nothing again.

I'm really surprised that no one went for the obvious (and horribly predictable) irony of writing a horrible, unconstructive comment.

Perhaps the state of internet humour is getting better?
I can't believe it...

[i]If you're making corrections, don't refer to someone as "sweetheart" or "dear." Even if you mean well, that sounds incredibly condescending.[/i]

That bit actually seems extremely important to me, just because I see it happen, and even if the person can't admit it, the whole tone they offer is extremely pretentious. People seem to have problems wording things well it seems, too. It's not always a surprise when people get offended with criticism when the comments they recieve come off as more critical of the writer, than the writing.

Also, Number Three was a great point. Constructive Criticism is sometimes best given when you're not criticizing based on your own opinions of the story, or the writer...which seems to happen often, too. Stating what you like and don't like is important, but sometimes it's just better left unsaid, if it's going to effect the way you give it. If you can't form your comments in a constructive (non-derogatory) manner, it tends to look as if you're giving blame to the person, and criticizing the person themselves, rather than their writing.

/ramble

I agree with the part about not calling peole "dear," "darling" or "hon" it just sounds like you're talking to a child and that you shouldn't even be writing. It makes it sound as if you are like their parent o something.
I hope that that didn't sound rude or anything!

I agree with venomous. Most comments on journals and articles are rude and arrogant. Mibba is a writing website and too many people are treating it like Myspace, picking fault and starting arguements over nothing.

Good, well written article, I agree with the 'sweetheart' and 'dear' point the most, I find it horrible when someone calls you dear in a degrading way, especially someone you dont know.

=]

I can't believe some of the rude comments I've been seeing around. x[
I really didn't think Mibbians were like that.

Thanks for the part with 'honey', 'sweetheart' and so on - it annoys me so much, and it's pretty arrogant. Anyway, good article, but, since you know enough of article writing to help others, I guess you don't need that fact... =)

Thanks for writing this. It's a good piece of advice for Mibbians. :)

I think what Courtney is trying to say is that, if we're prepared to open our minds (which is part of constructive criticism, right?) then we might actually realise that people can write a damn good article, in a really engaging way, even if they have opposing views to your own.

There's not a great deal of point in criticising someone's opinion because they're not likely to change it because someone has a go at them. If you want to be constructive, then criticise the basis of their argument, their evidence, their reasoning, their expression, whatever. That would be far more constructive.

In the part you quoted, I specifically stated that constructive criticism did not mean leaving your opinion out.
[i]"This [b]isn't[/b] to say you shouldn't express your opinion, simply don't let that dictate your criticism."[/i]

And I did mean that all comments should be constructive, [i]especially[/i] if you're expressing your opinion. For example, the comment you just left me expressed an opinion in a constructive way. You expressed how you felt politely without being rude or belittling my opinion, and I do believe all comments should be like that.

After reading this article I got the same thing out of it that [b]Kafka[/b] did. It seemed to me that you were talking about commenting with criticism on writing and not giving your opinion.

When I read an article, I read it for the content and not the writing style itself. I get that comments and criticism should be polite and helpful, but I DO think that you should be able comment on the author's opinion and the content of the article.

Maybe that isn't what you meant but it is what you said:

[i] The purpose of criticism is not always to assert your opinion over everything, particularly if you're criticizing opinionated writing. Instead, focus on the actual quality of writing. Did the author have valid information? Were sources cited? Was the logic of the author easy to follow? Focus on those things instead of the actual opinion. This isn't to say you shouldn't express your opinion, simply don't let that dictate your criticism.[/i]

I think if you made it clearer that you’re not saying that all comments [b]need[/b] to be constructive criticism that would be better. Here it sounds like you’re saying that all comments should include constructive criticism. I just don’t agree with that.

But I definitely agree with you on the part about calling people “sweetie” and “dear.” It’s one of my pet peeves. Like you said, even if people don’t mean it in a condescending way, it almost always comes off that way.

@ kafka: Clearly you didn't even read my article because that isn't what I said at all. In fact, I specifically said that giving constructive criticism didn't mean to leave your opinion out =]

ok. thanks for the advice.

I don't think articles should be treated merely as writing exercises, thus only commented from the point of view of the writing structure. You may write stories because words are beautiful, but you write articles because you want to express your opinion on something - to ask everyone not to comment on that opinion and only stick to the words is ... almost cruel?
Yes, yes it's important to improve your writing skills etc., but is that all you aim when you write an article? Don't you want to get an opinion across?

But of course, this is not constructive criticism, you should completely ignore my comment.

oh my god, thank you. i have been trying to explain this to some of my friends for ages, and i don't think i've ever met a group of people with thicker skulls. I love them to death, it's the truth. I have to probe them for what they did or didn't like in my stories; sometimes a very painful process, lol. i will make them read this if i have to tie them to a chair, lol. great article! perfect points!

I love giving constructive criticism. It makes me feel smart. =]

Kurtni, you always write great acticles.

This article was very helpful and very well-written. Thank you so much for posting this.

Thank you so much for writing this. I hardly ever comment articles, but when I read others that are filled with pointless comments and things are infuriating at times.

I also agree with The-Pen-In-The-Sword

Thank you for writing this!
I agree with The-Pen-in-the-Sword, I can never find a way to phrase criticism without sounding horrible, or like a know-it-all.

Great article =]

Thank you! This will be extremely helpful to me in the future. I always have trouble phrasing criticism because I want to help but not sound like a know-it-all.

Very useful article, great tips!