A good critique of your early work can be an invaluable stepping stone to a great novel. However, a poor critique can kill a potentially good book stone dead. Yet what is a writer to do? We all need feedback and who better to critique your work than your nearest and dearest.

Here’s six tips to help you get the most from a friend’s critique:

1. Give them permission to criticise: Make it VERY clear from the outset that you are looking for bad, as well as good, feedback. Let your critique partner know that their critique will improve your book and give them permission to highlight any problems.

2. Explain what you want: It may be clear to you what you need from a critique but it may not be clear to your critique partner. Before any reading takes place set out very clear critique guidelines. If you are looking for a proofread, make is very clear that all you require from the critique is your attention to be drawn to spelling and grammar errors. However, if you want the critique to go deeper then say so. Don’t be afraid of asking your critique partner to look for specific details. If you think a particular scene is weak or you are not sure about a certain character ask them to look at these things in particular detail.

3. I don’t like it is not good enough: If the critique is to be of any value, then the feedback needs to be constructive. Make it clear to your critique partner that you need ‘framed’ feedback. If during their critique they say they don’t like a certain character find out why. Look for specifics and don’t be frightened to ask questions. If a critique just throws up comments like ‘the scene didn’t work’ then it is a wasted critique.

4. Be prepared to ignore: Remember that it is your work. Don’t be too influenced by the critique. Every reader has personal tastes. If you feel strongly about a certain point then just ignore what the reader has said. However, you may ask a different critique partner to read your work and provide feedback on that one particular issue.

5. Get your head in the right place: It is tough to hear negative feedback about your own work. However, if the critique is to be of value then you need to be Zen-like in your responce. Resist the temptation to go on the defensive and listen to the critique with an open mind.

6. If you have to explain then it’s time to rewrite: A critique often throws up comments where the reader is confused by a certain section. If your reaction to the critique is to explain the context of what you have written then you are missing the point. If the reader can’t get everything from the words then you are missing something – after all you will not be there to explain to every reader who reads your book!