“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.” – Winston Churchill

Destructive criticism is designed to tear you down. It can be mocking, or it can be just plain negative. The point is not to help you improve; it’s to make you feel bad about yourself. Someone just saying, “Your article sucks” is not helpful, and you can’t take that and really make positive changes to your writing.

Constructive criticism is meant to help you improve. Good editors know how to work with their writers to help them improve their pieces. Constructive criticism might not always be fun to read, but if you listen with an open mind, it can boost your writing. Constructive criticism provides you with specific direction in what should be changed, as well as suggesting approaches and angles that might work better.

The Newbie Research Center's goal is to improve the overall experience for people joining WDC by learning from the positive and negative experiences of active members on the site.

What gift mattered most to you as a newbie?
What made you feel most welcome?
Did certain groups make a big difference in your early experiences here at WDC?
What would have improved your experience?

Judging the reader is condescending and narcissistic, and likely a turn-off to potential fans.

In the above example, the judgment comes in the second line:

Your manner is bratty and snarky for someone who has never been published

The fact of the matter is, most of your potential fans are unpublished. Regardless of whether or not the judgment is true, it probably applies to some (if not all) of your fanbase. A reader, no matter his or her circumstances, is a potential fan.

Remember that not all authors will be thankful for the suggestions you make, nor will they always agree. That's just fine. Try to be polite in your email responses and then leave it at that. The author of the work is the one who must decide if changes will be made. They may not understand your suggestions because they are not at the same level of knowledge, or they may just disagree. Either way, it is their choice whether they use your advice or not.

Tip 1 - When I review, I look for what the writer has asked for help with. If they have not indicated any area, I look for what would help them the most in a review to become a better writer. Sometimes this is their grammar, POV, rhyme, flow, or tense. If I can't find anything technical, I look at layout/presentation and information that is given or missing. I do not have to find everything wrong in an item or do a full word-by-word review. I just have to help and be constructive.

A common saying asserts that "Opinions are like bellybuttons--everybody has one." So it is with opinions about rating and reviewing the various items found on Writing.com. This essay explores the possibility that the traditional three-pronged admonition to write "honest, encouraging, and respectful" reviews should be expanded and re-phrased. It also proposes that the rating system of assigning stars to a poem, story, chapter, etc. . . . is subject to human error in that each reviewer uses his own "system" for determining the number of stars the piece receives. Additionally, the star rating does not provide any helpful information to the reader about effectiveness of the writing.

The Art of Criticism Project Newsletter is a bi-monthly publication that "hits the stands" on the 1st and 16th day of every month. It's produced with the aim of increasing the quality of reviewing on Writing.com.The opinions expressed herein are offered as advice to achieve that aim. Furthermore, this publication is not sanctioned as an official Writing.com newsletter.

Why should you be interested in learning the foundations upon which a positive, critical review is built? The answer is simple: When a review is offered, both the one writing the review and the author whose work is being reviewed benefit from the exchange. As reviewers, we cement our own understanding of the components of storytelling through reading and commenting on other authors’ works. An author who receives a thoughtful, in-depth review which points out where the writing is strong and where there is room for improvement will be compelled to hone his/her craft through this encouraging and supportive medium. When a review is well-balanced and informed,

Asking for tough criticism and in-depth reviews too soon might be bad for your writing confidence. Don’t stick your first draft out there and hope you can handle what comes back in the form of feedback. Of course, it depends on each individual, their experience, and what they hope to get from feedback. It depends on their goals.

Most first-time writers aren't ready for intensive criticism. Would you expect your newborn to be able to run? Of course not. Neither is a new writer prepared to survive a gauntlet of in-depths. First drafts are only the bones of a finished story, the writing of the idea, the first thoughts. First drafts are as fragile as the egos of the new writers who wrote them. There will be many changes before either is ready to publish.