The Art of Critique: Why Receiving Critique is Good

Does the word “critique” make you, as a creator, cringe? It doesn’t have to! Although receiving critique can be uncomfortable, it can also be an incredible opportunity.

Everyone is a critic

We already covered what a critique is in the previous post. It’s an analysis, and should contain both positive and negative feedback on the work. That said, not everyone sees a critique that way! More likely than not, critiques you receive on your work will not be “perfect”, if there is such a thing. Everyone has an opinion, and if someone is motivated enough to share theirs, it might be a strong opinion wrapped up in emotion. Try not to take any critiques personally, but as learning experiences!

How to respond?

Especially if you’re not used to critique, responding can be hard. It’s easy to get emotional when someone picks apart your hard work and ideas! However, I’ve found it works best to treat all critique like honest, good-faith feedback.

Start by thanking the person who offered the critique. Even if it was mostly negative, they took time to leave you feedback to (hopefully) help you improve. If the critic’s tone seemed angry or aggressive, this can also help smooth things over and allow thoughtful discussion. Some critics expect creators to argue about critiques, and a thank-you can go a long way in keeping everyone calm.

Thanking the critic can also help align your own perspective. Expressing gratitude will remind you that someone dedicated time and thought to your work and believes you can make it even better.

Next, address the critic’s points. These can vary quite a bit, since everyone has a different idea of critique. Sometimes a critic has valid points, even if you don’t agree with them. Acknowledge their analysis, and if you agree with the critique, note that you’ll work on the things they mentioned.

Finally, if you want you can reiterate your appreciation for the critic’s time and ask for more details. They are already invested in helping you improve, and might be willing to give you more details if you ask.

Possible critiques

Critiques can vary wildly in their content and quality. There are many variables you can run into when receiving critique.

If the critic is off base, you may want to correct them. They might say “your horse anatomy is very good, but this horse has a dog face” when you were, in fact, trying to draw a dog. Correcting them can help you work towards a more productive critique. Then they can critique your work based on poor dog anatomy instead of an inaccurate horse face.

If the critique is mostly negative, it doesn’t hurt to ask for some positive feedback! Ask if there is anything you did well or should keep doing, because these are also important to know. No work is completely bad or good, and if someone leaves one of these out of a critique, they likely haven’t thought it through thoroughly and could offer more detail.

Sometimes a critic doesn’t analyze your work in good faith, and might think you’re intentionally making a mistake or even being malicious in some way. It’s important to respond politely. If these critics are actually ready to help you improve (as implied by their willingness to critique your work in the first place), then politeness can help improve communication and learning. If they are not really willing to help you improve and just taking out their frustration on you and your work, politeness may discourage them from continuing further. It means you’re not taking any “bait”.

A critic might also dislike your work or judge it more harshly because they are not the intended audience. Identify if the critic is the type of person your work was meant for – if not, thank them for their feedback and don’t worry about appealing to their tastes.

Potatoes in the pot

Cinnabar from Cinnabar & Almanac Adventures loves cooking with potatoes, but Almanac doesn’t like potatoes. He leaves this critique on her cooking:

“Your cooking skills are good and very useful during our adventures. However, potatoes are not my favorite and I would like to see you explore some other vegetables or find other ways to prepare potatoes besides potato soup. Your potato soup isn’t bad, but I would like to see something else now and then.”

Here, we can see that Almanac doesn’t like potatoes, even though it’s what Cinnabar loves. If Cinnabar was cooking only for herself or other potato-loving gnomes, she could probably conclude that Almanac wasn’t her soup’s “audience”. However, since they are both stuck on the airship, she might do well to consider his advice before a fight breaks out.

Almanac includes some valid points – that Cinnabar could diversify her recipes. Every meal is much like the last, which works for Cinnabar but might get boring for anyone else. Her cooking would be received more positively if it wasn’t always potato soup.

A frame from Cinnabar & Almanac Adventures. Almanac points angrily at a pile of potatoes.

While this critique of her beloved soup might sting, she could reply:

“Thank you for your input! (Thanks) I do love potatoes, but I should probably consider that not everyone is as passionate about them as I am. I’ll look into other recipes. (Acknowledging points) I appreciate you letting me know! (Repeating appreciation) Are there any specific vegetables you would like me to cook with? (Asking for more info)”

Now the two can have a discussion about how Cinnabar can make food everyone agrees on!

It’s not about you

Remember that critique is not a personal attack! And if it is, it isn’t much of a critique – if someone makes it personal, it may be best not to engage. Ultimately, critiques are intended to help you improve as a creator. If someone takes the time to do that, it always helps to thank them even if you don’t agree with them! Your work will improve and you will build rapport with people eager to help you on your journey.