So You Want to Write

A friend of Dave White's posted a chapter on the Web for comment and critique. In light of the first few comments, Dave offered some advice on constructive criticism.

Graham Powell commented:

My own opinion is that a critic needs to point out the flaws in a piece of writing, but gently. Flaws can be fixed with more experience, but if the writer gets so discouraged they quit, well, that's

THE END

I commented:

IMO, beginning writers shouldn't post their work where anyone and everyone can read and comment on it. Not everyone is interested in helping the writer; not everyone knows what constructive criticism is.

The best reader is someone the writer respects, who knows when to be hard on the writer.

I agree with Graham that critics need not be absolutely brutal; however, if the writer gets so discouraged he quits, he never had what it takes to be a writer.