Learn the Craft of Reviewing to Learn the Craft of Writing

Reading, giving and receiving quality feedback will help you reach your goal with more confidence.

To be a successful writer you must be a reader of both good and bad books.  If you don't enjoy reading, I don't know how you'd enjoy writing.  But there's always the exception I suppose.

Learning the Craft of Writing isn't easy, but it can be done by most anyone who is serious, and is willing to accept the feedback necessary to learn where they are getting it wrong.  Most new writers don't receive the amount of good feedback they need though, so they learn to help themselves.  The rocky path to success is rougher without help from other writers, but not impossible.

Joining a writing group is a good first step.  Reading the work of others and giving your thoughts is useful to both the writer and to the reviewer--it truly is. 


Constructive reviewing is a craft of its own, and it isn't any easier to learn than the craft of writing.  To learn to review, you must study the craft of writing.  They are two sides of the same craft. 

#  A good review offers insight into how a piece might be improved (or makes a compelling case that it's complete as is).

#  A great review offers the reader insight on how to be a better writer.