I am a middle-aged man living in the middle of nowhere - the Hudson Valley of New York. Of course I am a transplant from the rocking city of Peoria, Illinois which I left about 20 years ago. I have always wanted to be a writer and, not through lack of trying, found that if you weren't one of the established names already you didn't have a shop in hell. Then, along comes the internet. I began posting my writing on the net and have started an interesting following. Who says we all can't have out 15 minutes of fame!

My favorite authors are Kurt Vonnegut, Peter Straub, Haruki Murakami – and, one of my guilty pleasures is an epic novel written by… ready for this… Susan Howatch. Those I unfortunately hide behind the cover’s of another book when I am in public. I usually go for the strange – and I am not speaking of horror strange, but novels with strange plots (Misfortune, by Wesley Stace – which is one GREAT book about a boy raised as a girl in old time England). The stranger the plot or the characters I am addicted.

I would really like to critique on some of poetry on the site but am so afraid that, since I don’t really know the art, that I would show my stupidity and lack of knowledge of the form. I can always say I like a piece, but I don’t feel educated enough to offer constructive criticism. Please bear with me, ya’ all.

Weeb
R. E. Heinrich - but I go by Gene (am a junior so that just shows my parents lack of imagination)

Welcome to MM, Gene.

What are your literary goals here at MM?

One has to start somewhere when it comes to critiquing another's work. There are many tips posted around our site, and you'll surely find many more elsewhere. I guess one of the best places to start is to be honest and courteous. Always look for the positive(s) and offer feedback.Be constructive. Do not only point out what you find wrong in the piece, offer suggestions on how to improve it. Be diplomatic, critiquing is subjective and may hold different interpretations for different readers. Try not to belabor a point. When in doubt, ask for clarification. You may not be the only one who does not understand something within the piece.

Critique as you'd like to be critiqued. Avoid personal antagonistic remarks, focus on the piece, not the writer and keep the goal of improvement in mind.

What is the message in the work?
Has the writer adequately conveyed his/her message within the content of the work? Does this message have the same meaning to the reader as it does to the writer? Words on a page can be very striking and pretty, but do they make sense? Are they the 'right' words to use to convey the intended message?

What is the IMAGE of the work?
Does the work set a mental picture in the reader's mind? Does the imagery presented reinforce and compliment the message of the work?

Is there a RHYTHM to the work?
Is there a pleasing flow to the work as you read it? Do the sounds of the words (if meter is employed) compliment each other from line to line, thought to thought ? Do the transitions impede the flow? Punctuation can play a part in the rhythm as well.


Welcome!
~Cleo

Hello Gene

Welcome to MM

You don't have to be too technical when you start critiqing.
Start by saying what parts you liked about the work. Comment on Punctuation. Ask questions if you are not sure of the message. You'll soon get the hang of it.

Looking forward to seeing you around.

Snow

Hi Gene,

I want to welcome you to Mosaic Musings too. It's great to have you with us!! I think you're going to like it here. We have some wonderful members!

As for critiquing, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it! Read others' critiques and offer you're positive reactions first. There's no necessity at first to get too technical if you'd rather not. Be tactful. (I'm working on that one! Ha!) And if you don't understand what someone is driving at, ask questions.

I look forward to reading your posts!!

Peggy