I'm a member of the
Books and Writers Community, which is an awesome place for writers (and readers) of all stripes to hang out and discuss books, writing, research, and anything else that pops up. One of the things I like best about The Forum is the willingness of members to help each other out, especially in terms of critiques. You can post a snippet of your writing and get feedback from dozens of people, all pointing out ways to make your work stronger, better, faster... (well, you get the idea)
While I love posting my work, I am usually reluctant to do so. I'm not afraid of soliciting feedback--indeed, I'm something of a feedback junkie--but I feel like my critiquing skills are not up to par. It's not fair for me to ask these people to put in the time and effort of critting my work, when I feel my suggestions to them are so superficial as to be laughable.
I know the only way to get better at this is to practice, so that's what I've been doing. I'm speaking up more and more when people ask for feedback, building up some karmic points so that at some point, I can post without feeling like I'm taking advantage of this great community of readers and authors.
Do you feel like your critiquing skills are lacking, or is it just me? How have you improved your skills? Was there anything in particular that helped you out, or is experience the best teacher? Please share your experiences in the comments!
