How do critiques work?

A critique is a structured, in-depth review of a poem. Where a reply is a letter to the poet, a critique is closer to a workshop response: it is broken into sections, each with a score and written feedback.

Sections and scores

A critique is made of sections. Each section looks at one dimension of the work and carries a score out of 100 and your written feedback. You choose which sections to add.

• For written poems, dimensions include Imagery, Meter, Voice, Structure, Language, Sound, Theme, Pacing and Emotion.
• For spoken word, dimensions include Delivery, Rhythm, Performance Energy, Vocal Range, Audience Connection, Emotional Impact and Stage Presence.
• For any piece, you can also score Originality and give an Overall view.

Pointing at the exact spot

Each section can refer to the whole piece or to a specific part of it:

• a line or a stanza,
• a single word or phrase,
• or, for audio, a time range in the recording.

This keeps feedback precise: instead of "the middle drags", you can point at the stanza that does.

Writing a critique

1. Open a poem and choose to write a critique from its options menu.
2. Add sections one at a time, giving each a score and feedback.
3. Save it as a draft if you want to come back to it, or publish when you are ready.

Your drafts and published critiques are on the Critiques page, under My Drafts and Published. The Discover tab there shows critiques other members have published.

When critiques open

A poem settles for a short time after it is published, while the poet can still fix typos. Critiques open once that window closes — you will see "Critiques open in N min" until then. This makes sure a critique always refers to the final text.

Critiques in circles

A critique written inside an Inner Circle is scoped to that circle and is visible only to its members — a good fit for workshops.

Turning critiques off

Poets decide whether they accept public critiques. If you would rather not receive them, switch off Allow critiques in your privacy settings. Readers will then see "This poet is not accepting critiques" instead of the critique option.