In the comments section of my post on How to Critique Other Writers’ Work, a debate ensues. When using the sandwich approach (two slices of positive feedback with a glob of criticism in the middle), do the positive and critical parts of your sandwich need to be equal? If a manuscript needs a lot of work, is it still important to give it as much praise as criticism? If a piece is ready to publish, should you still give it as much criticism as praise? If you answer “No,” please explain in comments. Thanks for participating!


I read a great book recently, Snow Mountain Passage, about the quest and fate of the Donner party as they traveled from Illinois to California in the mid-1800s. Until then, my familiarity with the Donner party had been limited to driving through Donner Pass to rock climb on Donner Summit overlooking Donner Lake (near Truckee [...]

A post by my friend Sierra about her toxic critique group inspired me to remind people how to give critiques of other writers’ work in a writers’ group or workshop.
The sandwich method always works best: Start by saying something positive, followed by your constructive criticism, and then end with another positive comment. The reason for [...]

iPad Update

So now that I’ve had a little more time to read books on the iPad, here are some thoughts:
Pros
It’s VERY easy to buy a book. It’s easier through iBooks, but it’s not difficult through Amazon either. I haven’t tried the B&N app yet. Just one click and you own it. And you’re reading. Right there [...]

Josh McHugh is the president of Attention Span Media, the social media studio behind two of the most-watched web series of all time, Dorm Life and Simon Fuller’s If I Can Dream. Josh’s experience at the intersection of technology, media and business began 14 years ago at Forbes Magazine, where he chronicled the brainiacs and [...]