So, you’ve finally finished that short story or novel you’ve been working on. You’ve poured your heart, soul, and sanity into it. You excitedly start pouring through the Writer’s Market, eagerly looking for a journal, publisher, or agent to send your work to, so they can start idolizing you.

Hang on a second! Don’t include that SASE yet!

You’ve forgotten a crucial step: peer critique.

What is peer critique?

It’s just what it sounds like: getting your work critiqued by your peers. This does not mean getting input from your mother or best friend (unless your mother or best friend just happen to have an MFA and are creative writing professors). Those closest to you will not tell you the truth. The purpose of getting critiqued is not to get meaningless flattery; you need to use it as a tool to get honest, helpful feedback so that you can find out what’s working and what isn’t.

The best people to go to are those educated in language and literature, or those involved in the publishing industry, or those who have a common interest in writing. People who don’t understand the craft of writing will not be able to give much valuable input.

Why getting critiqued is important

No matter how fantastic a writer you think you are, you always need a second opinion. What may seem like crystal-clear details, easy-to-follow plot structure, or incredibly developed characters to you, the writer, may fall flat to your reader.

Getting feedback will also help you prepare for the eventual submission process you and your piece are about to endure. You are bound to get rejected at least once; you have to learn not to take it personally.

Plus, most rejections are handled with an impersonal form letter; if you submitted without any previous feedback and heard nothing back from the editor except “Thanks, but no thanks,” you’d have no clue as to what was wrong with your story or poem. If you already got some feedback, at least you know what is working and what may be hurting you.

How to handle getting critiqued

You will have to put your ego aside when getting critiqued. No one is out to get you or hurt your feelings. In fact, you will usually feel better about your work after getting feedback, because your peers will usually reinforce all the good things you already thought about it.

Don’t be too sensitive, and don’t get defensive. Listen to what your peers have to say and put your pride aside for the sake of improving your writing. Ultimately, the decision of what advice to follow is up to you.

Where do you get critiqued?

There is a plethora of options out there for writers looking for feedback. The best place to start is the internet. For writers getting critiqued for the first time, the anonymous interaction softens the blow much more than a personal, face-to-face discussion. There are lots of sites out there that let you post your work and receive feedback from tons of other users, and all for free. The trick is, you’ve got to learn your needs before you find the right fit for you. Check out the users on the site and see what kind of critics they are. If you don’t think you fit in with them, don’t join.

You should also consider joining a writing group in your area, also easily found through the internet. There are also creative writing classes offered at colleges and universities; you may even be able to find a free or cheap one at a community college. Again, check out the groups and workshops before you commit, just to make sure you mesh well with the members.

Final note

In most cases, when you join a group (personal or online) or workshop, you will be expected to also give feedback on other members’ work. If you’re not sure about how to give quality criticism, check out my article on tips for critiquing fiction. You can also use this list to make sure that the peers you’re going to are giving you the right kind of feedback. If they’re not, move on to someone who can help you on the road to publication.

This article was written by Jennifer Roach http://jennifermroach.com Jennifer is a fiction writer, blogger, and freelance editor/proofreader. You can follow her on Twitter @jennifermroach or on MySpace . To see more posts click here

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