Wednesday, August 20, 2008

The Difference between Critique and Criticism

  • Criticism finds fault/Critique looks at structure
  • Criticism looks for what's lacking/Critique finds what's working
  • Criticism condemns what it doesn't understand/Critique asks for clarification
  • Criticism is spoken with a cruel wit and sarcastic tongue/Critique's voice is kind, honest, and objective
  • Criticism is negative/Critique is positive (even about what isn't working)
  • Criticism is vague and general/Critique is concrete and specific
  • Criticism has no sense of humor/Critique insists on laughter, too
  • Criticism looks for flaws in the writer as well as the writing/Critique addresses only what is on the page

Taken from Writing Alone, Writing Together; A Guide for Writers and Writing Groups by Judy Reeves

5 comments:

Mayeul said...

This looks like a *criticism* of the criticism!

Mark Staff Brandl said...

Mayeul: What a great critique!

chuckography said...

I'm not really a "writer" but was addressing the differences between critique and criticism and Googled it.

You popped up, I added it to my message as an illustration and explanation and passed it along to some people.

Next day I received thanks from the writer you quoted - Judy Reeves. We know each other and I had not even noticed your source. Yikes.

She thanks you too.

Sandhya Karandikar said...

Everyone must keep this in their heart. Beautifully said. Thank you Tina for sharing it.

Unknown said...

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you are or where you live; there are no boundaries or barriers if two people are destined to be together. See the link below for more info.


#together
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