This is something that I used to do, and am still fighting with. This is something that I've seen people do, and it can ruin anyone as a good critiquer. Have you ever been reading a story, in hopes of giving it a good critique, only to click the back button because you're bored? Well stop it! I know what its like to only critique stories that interest you. That was all I used to do.
If I didn't like the genre, or the way it was written, I would go find something else to critique. But now that I have gotten over this horrible habit, I find myself critiquing a wider rang of things. Just because you aren't interested in the story, that doesn't mean you can't give good advice on it. I'll give an example. I have this horrible distaste for Medieval Fantasy, but I force myself to read the stories I find because I know in the end I'll give good advice, and they will appreciate it.
Another bad habit, is stopping critiques half way through because it’s just so bad. How would you like to know that your writing was SO bad people can't even get through it enough to tell you why it is so bad? Always keep in mind before you click the back button, the critique you are trying to write will mean a lot to the author. Hold back your boredom if you have to, but don't stop critiquing!
Another tip I have, somewhat unrelated to the aforementioned, is that you should not read the previously given critiques until you have written your own and sent it in. Reading other peoples opinions could make you biased, rather than being completely honest. You should go into a critique with a clean idea of the writing. Afterwards, you can read others critiques. But don't let others opinions change the way you may or may not feel about someone else's writing, even before you have looked at it for yourself. Make your own judgments.
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