- Please remember members posting comments ARE TRYING TO HELP YOU. They ARE NOT attacking you. They are COMMENTING ON YOUR SONG. It IS NOT personal. It IS NOT a comment about you.
- Critique is a discussion. It is not an argument, there are no winners and losers, there is only "trying to improve the song".
- Posting for critique IS NOT about building your confidence. Specifically it IS NOT about building false confidence. Members offering critique want to build your skills, and offer you different perspectives, to make you a better writer.. THAT is what builds confidence.
- Every writer here has passed or still has to pass the point where they realise that they are not as amazing a writer as they think they are. It can be uncomfortable and confidence sapping, but it is necessary. You can either do it here surrounded by other writers who have had the same experience, or do it elsewhere where you may well be surrounded by people who have no idea.
- Every writer here started with a vague idea of what writing songs is about. As a writer you can wander around vaguely, or try to re-invent the wheel, but ultimately the only way to progress is to open your ears and listen to what other people say, truly consider what they say, discuss what they say, understand that they offer their best, objective opinion, and learn from it.
- Just because another writer may be experienced, doesn't make them right, but it certainly makes what they say worth considering.
- The reviewer is not personally attached to your work. Their comments may seem clinical, cold, even harsh, but that is them being thorough and objective. By doing so, by being thorough they are trying to help you as much as they possibly can. That said, if all they mention is negatives, that is probably their inexperience at offering quality critique. Ask them, "What does work?" or "What is good about this song?". Sometimes other writers so get so wrapped up in pointing out the negatives, they totally forget to focus on the positives too. It is generally an oversight, not intentional.
- Everybody starts off inexperienced. Everybody has to go through a learning process. Embrace it and your writing will improve faster.
- When you write, when you draft, you do so passionately. When you critique and when you edit, you do so dispassionately, to get the best results.
- "I like it", "It's very good", "I love it" might be good to hear, but it doesn't help you improve your writing, performance, recording or production. Critique IS NOT about getting a pat on the back.
