How to Critique Prose

First, critique does not equate negativity. Focus on the good things they have in their writing too.

Cary talked to us about three broad categories that critiques fall under:

1. Syntax
- Spelling mistakes, sentence structure, grammar, technical details.
If it's a positive comment, mention it.
Unless it affects your reading experience, don't mention it. Those nit-picky details don't need to be brought up in the meeting, you can highlight mistakes / in your comments and email to the person later.
2. Structure
- What affects the flow of the piece and how it fits together. Beginning > Middle > End, how characters are introduced, how the plot is progressing.

3. Style
- Their naming choices, the language they decide to use, how they tell the story. This involves style, voice, tone, etc.

A critique is not an attack on your writing, we don't want to be attacking or defending. We are giving feedback, ideas, advice.