Day 19 - Pitbull critiques

...or that is what I have heard them called. It is late and I have few incites but perhaps I could muse a bit on pitbull critiques. What are these? Well, the definition I've been given by others is that it is the sort of critique that while, constructive in nature, is delivered in a way that is biting and can seem rude or overly harsh. I have fallen victim to one or two myself in the past. Others I have discussed writing with think they are unnecessary.

I personally like to be diplomatic in how I offer my feedback. I usually start with what is working, and then move on to what needs work in regards to content, character development and plot and then, if the writer doesn't mind it, I will get into the nitpicky stuff like spelling, grammar and style choices. i find this works for me and i find that most people respond to it positively.

Pitbull critiques on the other hand are, in a way, a double edged sword. They have the ability to wake the lazy, laid-back or overconfident writer to the problems in their writing that they could fix to make it better. On the other hand though they also have the ability to intimidate writers and/or make them feel inadequate and some might even feel so bad about their writing that they might decide to give up. While i have seen that some pitbulls will argue that they are only giving these people a taste of what they will have to deal with in the publishing world and that they are helping these people develop a thick skin which I am sure is necessary, i would argue that there is something to be said for empathising with a person's emotions and looking for a a way to help them see their mistakes and fix them before unleashing the pitpull within. Or letting them know what they might have to deal with in the publishing world, prepare them by talking to them and then offering to give them a taste of what it will be like so that they can steel themselves for it. \

These are only my thoughts and musings of course and I don't expect an answer to these thoughts. Still, it's something that occurs to me. There are many ways to offer a critique...and breaking down a person's self esteem isn't always going to help them and may just crush a budding talent before it has a chance to flower.


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