And what about those [writers' workshop] critiques, by the…
![“And what about those [writers' workshop] critiques, by the way? How valuable are they? Not very, in my experience, sorry. A lot of them are maddeningly vague. I love the feeling of Peter's story, someone may say. It had something... a sense of I don't know... there's a loving kind of you know... I…” quote by Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/986/stephen-king-13_writing_and-what-about-those-writers-workshop-cr_1716135.jpg)
““And what about those [writers' workshop] critiques, by the way? How valuable are they? Not very, in my experience, sorry. A lot of them are maddeningly vague. I love the feeling of Peter's story, someone may say. It had something... a sense of I don't know... there's a loving kind of you know... I can't exactly describe it… It seems to occur to few of the attendees that if you have a feeling you just can't describe, you might just be, I don't know, kind of like, my sense of it is, maybe in the wrong fucking class.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Critiques often lack specificity, making them unhelpful; genuine feeling can be hard to articulate.
In simple terms: Vague feedback hinders growth.
Key Takeaway
Seek clear, concrete criticism.
Themes
writing
feedback
communication
creativity
learning
Mood
frustrated
inquisitive
Type
advice
reflective
When to use this quote
- writing groups
- manuscript revisions
- creative workshops
Key Concepts
literature
pedagogy
self-awareness
Questions to Reflect On
- What specific feedback would improve your work?
- How do you differentiate constructive critique from vague comments?
A Different Perspective
Not all feedback is useful; some may be dismissive.