what is constructive criticism?

Answer 1

Since you're asking this in Books & Authors, I assume that you are asking about the constructive criticism of an unpublished manuscript. I teach creative writing to master-of-fine-arts students in the Whidbey Writers Workshop, and the whole point of their two years of study is to learn to give and receive good constructive criticism.

Writing in a way so that the reader "gets" the story or poem in the way you intended is a lot harder than most people realize. There are lots of ways that a reader can misunderstand what you have written.

So what we mean by constructive criticism in our classes is largely a matter of saying: "Here's where I didn't understand what you meant." Or: "When I first read this sentence I thought you were saying just the opposite of what it turns out you really meant to say." Or: "I got completely lost here. Is she on the boat or still on the dock? And who is she talking to?"

What we're really doing is serving as test readers, telling the writer what our experience of the story or poem was. Sometimes that means saying something that is difficult to hear: "I got so bored in the middle of this chapter that I didn't want to keep reading!" Such information can be vital to the author, and because the criticism is offered constructively, we don't stop at saying that we were bored, but we try to figure out why we were bored and how that chapter could be made more exciting while still telling the story that the author wants to tell.

Answer 2

Constructive criticism is something that a reader does for you. Anyone who you ask to read your writing will have an opinion, but if you have asked them to give you feedback so that you can improve your writing, --that is constructive criticism. Keep in mind, criticism can be positive or negative, so don't let your feelings get hurt if the reader says things that you disagree with. Constructive means just that --it is helpful and of value in some way --even if it is negative, it can still be helpful. Learn from every criticism, but don't be discouraged. Most important of all -- keep writing. Practice is an integral part of writing. Good luck.

Answer 3

Constructive criticism does not sound negative. It helps the person to do something better, without any suggestion that it wasn't already good enough. E.g. "That dress is really pretty. A pearl necklace would look good with it."

Answer 4

It is criticism that is intended to "construct" or build something. For example, if a person tells you that your resume would look great with a little proofreading, that person is telling you to "construct" a resume free from errors, etc.

Answer 5

HELP WITH A BOOK, FROM ANYTHING LIKE STORY LINE TO STRUCTURE!