“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” — Proverbs 27:17
Lesson
What You Will Learn
- Follow critique circle norms that keep everyone safe and respected
- Give feedback using What's Working, What I Wondered, and One Suggestion
- Receive feedback with humility and decide what to use
- Keep feedback about the writing, never about the writer
Lesson Notes
Iron Sharpening Iron
Proverbs 27:17 pictures two pieces of iron making each other sharper. Good feedback does that: both the writer and the reader grow. Proverbs 12:15 adds, he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
Every serious writer needs other readers. You cannot see your own blind spots. A trusted reader can tell you where she got confused, bored, or moved.
Critique Circle Norms
- The writer chooses what to share and how much. Anyone may pass.
- Talk about the writing, not the writer. Say the narrator or the speaker, not you.
- Never ask about or comment on a writer's past, case, or personal choices.
- What is shared here stays here. Do not repeat anyone's story outside the circle.
- Return all pages to the writer. Follow facility rules about passing papers.
- No rewriting another person's piece for her. Suggest; she decides.
Three-Part Feedback
Give feedback in three parts, in this order:
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What's working: one specific strength. Not I liked it, but The line about the radio playing too loud put me right in the room.
-
What I wondered: a question a reader had. I wondered how much time passed between the first and second scene.
-
One suggestion: one small, specific idea. You might try starting with the bus station instead of the night before.
One suggestion is enough. A writer can act on one idea; ten at once can feel like a flood.
Receiving Feedback Well
When others respond to your work, listen and write down what they say. Do not explain or defend; if the reader needed an explanation, the page needs revision. You may ask a short question to understand (Which line lost you?). Then say thank you.
Afterward, sort each comment into Use, Consider, or Set aside. You are the author; you decide. If two or more readers stumble at the same place, take that spot seriously. Feedback on your writing is never a verdict on your worth.
Key Terms
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Critique circle | A small group that reads and responds to each other's writing using agreed norms |
| Three-part feedback | What's working, what I wondered, and one suggestion |
| The narrator | The voice telling the story; a respectful way to talk about the writing, not the writer |
| Use / Consider / Set aside | A way to sort feedback after you receive it |
In-Class Activities
Practice Circle
Read this short passage, written for this course. (Lena is a composite example.) Write three-part feedback: what's working, what I wondered, and one suggestion.
The bus station was cold. I waited. My sister was supposed to come at noon, she didn't come until three. I watched the clock and the vending machine and a man sleeping on the bench. When she finally walked in, she was holding two coffees. “I figured you'd be cold,” she said. And just like that, I wasn't mad anymore.
Rewrite the Feedback
Each comment below is unhelpful or breaks a circle norm. Rewrite each one as helpful, respectful feedback about the writing (or explain why it should not be said).
- This is boring. 2. Why would you do that? That was a bad choice. 3. I loved it! 4. You should write it the way I would. 5. Too many commas.
Assignment: Feedback Log
Share a one-page excerpt from your chosen piece in a critique circle (or, if you choose not to share, give written three-part feedback on two classmates' excerpts or two model passages from your instructor).
- Write down every comment you receive or give.
- Sort comments you received into Use, Consider, and Set aside, with one sentence explaining each choice.
- Write a short paragraph: What was it like to give and receive feedback this way?
Graded with the Module Assignment Rubric.
Reflection Journal
Proverbs 27:6 says, Faithful are the wounds of a friend. Think of a time someone told you a hard truth in love. How did you respond? What helps you receive correction without feeling crushed?
Prayer focus: Ask God for a teachable heart, gentle words, and the wisdom to sharpen others and be sharpened.
Weekly Reading & Devotions
Iron Sharpening Iron
Two pieces of iron rubbed together make each other sharper. Proverbs 27:17 says friends do the same. In a critique circle, every reader sharpens every writer, and the writers sharpen the readers in return.
Feedback can feel risky, especially when your writing is personal. That is why our circle has norms: the writer chooses what to share, comments are about the writing and never the writer, no one asks about anyone's past, and what is shared stays in the circle.
The three-part format keeps feedback helpful: what's working, what I wondered, and one suggestion. Specific praise teaches a writer what to keep. A genuine question shows where a reader got lost. One suggestion is something she can actually use.
Receiving feedback takes humility. Listen, write it down, and say thank you. Later, sort each comment into Use, Consider, or Set aside. You are the author. Feedback on your writing is never a verdict on your worth.
Think About It
- What makes feedback feel safe to you? ______________________
- How do you usually respond to correction? ______________________
- What kind of reader do you want to be for others? ______________________
Daily Devotions for Week 2
Sharpened Together
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.— Proverbs 27:17 (KJV)
We grow better together than alone. Good readers are gifts from God.
Reflect: Who sharpens you?
Pray: Lord, give me friends who sharpen me, and make me one for others.
Do: Give one classmate a specific compliment on her writing.
Faithful Wounds
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.— Proverbs 27:6 (KJV)
Honest feedback can sting, but it comes from someone who wants your good.
Reflect: When has a hard truth helped you?
Pray: Lord, help me receive truth spoken in love.
Do: Thank someone who once told you a hard truth kindly.
Hearkening to Counsel
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.— Proverbs 12:15 (KJV)
No writer can see all her own blind spots. Wisdom listens.
Reflect: Where might you need counsel?
Pray: Lord, make me wise enough to listen.
Do: Sort the feedback you received into Use, Consider, and Set aside.
Words That Build
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.— Ephesians 4:29 (KJV)
Feedback should build up. Every comment can minister grace.
Reflect: How can your words build someone up today?
Pray: Lord, let my words minister grace.
Do: Before you give feedback, name one thing that is working.
Two Are Better
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.— Ecclesiastes 4:9 (KJV)
Writing is often lonely work, but it does not have to be. Shared labor brings a shared reward.
Reflect: Who could you invite to read your work someday?
Pray: Lord, thank You for companions in the work.
Do: Write down the name of one possible trusted reader.
Module Quiz
- 1.
What are the three parts of feedback taught in this course?
- 2.
Which comment follows the critique circle norms?
- 3.
When receiving feedback, the best first response is to:
- 4.
If two or more readers stumble at the same spot, the writer should take that spot seriously.
- 5.
Name three critique circle norms.