Author Insights: As a writer’s workshop reviewer, what’s the best way to critique people’s writing?

L. J. Bonham: I’m always honored to participate at workshops. I learn a lot at these events. The best criticism is firm but fair. You’re not there to make friends and sugar coating comments does not motivate people to improve.

AI: Hit them right between the eyes then?

LJB: Civility is still necessary and you should remind people that your comments are not directed at them, rather at what they wrote. The worst thing you can do for someone who is trying to become a professional is coddle them. Publishers and editors are merciless and will offer no quarter. I try to steel authors for the real world.

AI: How do you see your role then?

LJB: I am not a development editor, merely a reviewer. Authors who want someone to comb their work line by line and lead them forward should hire a professional who specializes in such things. I give people my overall impression of their work and the major areas where they need improvement. I also point out their strengths, if any. Firm but fair, remember?

AI: What overall advice to do have for novice writers?

LJB: To paraphrase Michael Corleone in “The Godfather,” it’s nothing personal, it’s strictly business. If you want to be a professional writer, then act like one. Take your lumps, like everyone else in the business, and improve your writing. If you think back to your school years, the best teachers were those who did not accept excuses and pushed you beyond your perceived capabilities.