Golden Rules for Respondents
1. Read each piece twice.
2. Give constructive criticism.
3. Make your comments textually specific and focused.
4. Avoid blind praise and harsh insults. It is not useful to hear only, "I liked it," or "this is bad."

Questions
Write the answers to the following questions on each writer's piece, along with the rest of your feedback. When answering the questions, give specific examples from the text to illustrate your points. You will hand back the piece with your written commentary to the writer at the workshop.

1. What is the main idea or "intention" of the piece? (e.g., This story narrates a wedding ceremony from the perspective of a child. This poem experiments with the relationship between the natural world and poetic form.)

2. In what ways does the piece succeed in achieving this intention? (e.g., The dialogue is authentic and believable.)

3. In what ways does it not succeed? (e.g., The flashback section seems out of place in the plot, and the narrative voice shifts in a way that is confusing.)

4. How might the piece be improved? (Give specific suggestions.) (e.g., Look at how the spacing in the poem could be used to emphasize the visual imagery in the first stanza.)

5. What do you like best about the piece?

Golden Rules for Writers When Your Piece is Being Discussed
1. Listen with an open mind to the discussion.
2. Do not defend or "explain" your piece.
3. Take what is useful to you and leave the rest.