Everyone needs to be able to give valid critique every now and then, lest we end up with a friend embarrassed before the nation when Simon Cowell pronounces her tone deaf and fat (then despite listing “female” on her entry form, he continues to inform the world that our friend is most certainly a “dude”). Terribly devastating, as you can imagine. And all because you never learned how to tell your friend that she really wasn’t a great singer.
But contrary to popular belief, critique doesn’t equal criticism. Plus it’s not as simple as “calling a spade a black icon that looks sorta like an upside down heart skewered on a stick. It’s takes some skill and practice. Like anything you have to practice, it’s best to start with the basics.
That’s what we’ll be addressing here on the Green Porch over the next couple of weeks in our four part guide to giving courteous critique. Here is what you have to look forward to.