What a story critique is (and is not)
A critique is an honest, reasoned response to a piece of writing, offered to help the writer improve it. It is different from a review, which speaks to potential readers, and from a copyedit, which corrects mechanics. A good critique tells the writer what you experienced as a reader and why, so that they can decide what to change.
A critique is not a rewrite. The goal is to help the writer realize their own vision more clearly, not to push the story toward the one you would have written.
Before you start: ask what the writer wants
If you can, ask the writer a few questions first:
- What stage is this draft at: first attempt or nearly final?
- What kind of feedback do you want: big-picture or line-level?
- Is there something specific you are worried about?
- Who is the intended reader?
Feedback on a rough first draft should look different from feedback on a polished manuscript. Commenting on typos in an early draft can waste effort, while ignoring a plot problem in a late draft would be unhelpful.
Read in passes
Many critique guides recommend reading more than once, and the approach is simple:
- First read: as a reader. Read straight through without stopping to mark things. Notice where you were engaged, bored, or confused, and how you felt at the end.
- Second read: structure. Look at the plot arc, pacing, character motives, and whether the conflict builds toward a climax.
- Third read: the language. Consider word choice, dialogue, clarity of description, and sentence rhythm.
If time is short, do the first and second passes and skip the third, unless the writer asked for line-level notes.
What to evaluate
Premise and stakes
Is it clear what the story is about, and what could be won or lost? Do you care? See how to write the premise of a story for what a clear premise looks like.
Character
Are the characters’ wants clear? Do they act in ways that match their personalities, and do they sound distinct from each other? A character who does something the story needs but the person would not do is a common flaw. If you want to understand how a writer might build depth, see our piece on the character interview.
Plot and pacing
Do events follow from one another? Are there slow stretches or rushed moments? Does the ending answer the question the story raised? The story turning point guide helps you check the key pivots.
Voice and point of view
Is the narration consistent? Does the narrator know things they should not? For stories told by “I,” see our guide to writing in first person for the specific issues to look for.
Dialogue
Does it sound like people talking, and does it reveal character or move the story? Or does it only deliver information?
Setting and theme
Does the setting build mood and feel specific? Does the theme emerge from events, or does the story preach? Our scene setting examples show what specific setting looks like.
Prose
Are sentences clear? Are there repeated words or habits? Is description doing useful work?
How to phrase feedback
- Describe your reading experience. “I lost track of who was speaking in the second scene” is more useful than “the dialogue is bad.”
- Be specific. Point to the place in the text.
- Explain why. Reasons let the writer judge the comment for themselves.
- Balance praise and concerns. Name what works as well as what does not. This is not just politeness; writers need to know what to keep.
- Use “I” statements and questions. “I wasn’t sure what she wanted here. What is she hoping for?” invites thought.
- Do not demand fixes. Offer possibilities, not orders.
Weak versus useful comments
| Weak | Useful |
|---|---|
| “I didn’t like the ending.” | “The ending felt sudden to me. The main conflict is with her brother, but the last scene focuses on the neighbor. Was that intended?” |
| “Too slow.” | “Between the second and fourth scenes, I felt the story paused. Each seemed to repeat that he is worried about money.” |
| “Great job!” | “The opening line made me curious, and the way she hides the letter in scene one kept me reading.” |
| “Fix the dialogue.” | “Several characters speak in the same formal rhythm, so I had to check names to know who was talking.” |
A simple critique structure
If you need a template for a written critique, the following is flexible enough for most situations:
- A brief summary of what you understood the story to be about.
- What worked best, with examples.
- The two or three biggest concerns, with examples.
- Smaller notes, if requested.
- A closing remark and any questions for the writer.
Summarizing the story first shows the writer whether their intent came through.
Critiquing for a class
If your assignment is a critique paper, the format is usually more formal. Instructors differ, but such papers commonly include an introduction that identifies the work and your main argument, a summary, an analysis supported by evidence from the text, an evaluation, and a conclusion. Check your assignment sheet, since requirements vary. If you hope to become a professional critic, the usual route is reading widely, writing regularly, and publishing reviews or essays to build a record.
Receiving feedback on your own story
When you are on the other side:
- Listen first and avoid defending the story.
- Look for patterns. If several readers stumble in the same place, take notice.
- Remember that readers are often right that something is wrong but not always right about the fix.
- Take time before deciding what to change.
Feedback is most useful when it feeds a plan. Our guide to rewriting a book shows how to turn notes into a revision process.
Where to find critique partners
Options include local writing groups, online communities, and platforms where members critique each other’s work to earn credits toward their own submissions. Choose partners who read your genre and whose feedback style fits you. A trade of regular exchanges works better than a one-time request. If you want to improve your own critique skills through reading, a few of the titles in our list of books to learn to write cover self-editing and craft in ways that sharpen your eye.