Critique Guidelines
OPENING COMMENTS
Is there anything you’d like to say before you start your critique?
• Overall impression
• Does it draw the reading in?
(action, dialogue, description, etc.).
SCENE | SETTING
• Appeal to the senses?
• Show vs. Tell
PLOT
• Problem or Obstacle?
• Was the plot believable?
• Was it easy to follow?
• Was the story long or short enough to support the plot?
• Did the way the plot was resolved to leave you satisfied?
• Were the subplots, if any, natural and interesting?
• Any sudden shifts?
• Plot resolved?
PACING
• Did the pace of the story leave you satisfied?
• Were you left bored by slower parts or rushed by faster parts?
• Paragraph length
DESCRIPTION
• Were the descriptions vivid?
• Was there too little or too much exposition?
• Was there variety in the vocabulary?
• Show vs. Tell?
POINT OF VIEW (POV)
• Was the point of view consistent?
• If the point of view changed, did you feel that the change was a good one that was easy to follow?
• Did the point of view ever change too abruptly, leaving you confused?
• Verb tense consistent and suitable
• Was there any confusion from the point of view?
CHARACTERS
• Did the characters seem real? Motivated?
• Did they form a connection with the reader?
• Did the characters each have unique personalities?
• Character Development?
• Continuity?
• Most Compelling Character: why?
• Least Compelling Character: why?
DIALOGUE
• Was the dialog natural and believable?
• Was each character’s dialog consistent with their characterization and motives?
• Was there too much or too little dialog?
• Were there any tedious monologues?
SPELLING | GRAMMAR
• Were there any serious grammar issues?
• How was the grammar overall? Were there any serious spelling or punctuation issues?
• Consistent verb tense
• How was the spelling overall?
OVERALL IMPRESSION
Strengths
• Favorite Passage:
• Passage felt most present:
Weaknesses
• Least Favorite Passage:
CLOSING COMMENTS
• Is there anything you’d like to say in the conclusion?
[Consider this a general outline and expand on it as needed]
