Advice on How to Critique a Story, from St. Ignatius Loyola · 11:36pm Jan 30th, 2018
Second Annotation.
The second is that the person ... ought to relate faithfully the events of such Contemplation or Meditation, going over the Points with only a short or summary development. For, if the person who is making the Contemplation, takes the true groundwork of the narrative, and, discussing and considering for himself, finds something which makes the events a little clearer or brings them a little more home to him -- whether this comes through his own reasoning, or because his intellect is enlightened by the Divine power -- he will get more spiritual relish and fruit, than if he who is giving the Exercises had much explained and amplified the meaning of the events. For it is not knowing much, but realising and relishing things interiorly, that contents and satisfies the soul.--The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola (1522 / 1548), translated from the Spanish in 1914 by Father Elder Mullan, S.J.
Tell this to the amazon book reviews! All the top ones are expanded summaries.
There needs to be 50 synonyms to this idiom. It works great but crowds out more precise language.
4785590 I had more in mind how to critique a story to its writer.
This is an English translation of a Spanish text written by someone whose first language was Basque. Cut him some slack.
...not that Inigo Loyola ever cut anybody any slack.
The First Annotation also has some good advice, which in this context I interpret as shedding yourself of pre-conceived notions of "how things must be" when reading. I'm sure this isn't what he intended, but it works for me.
So, criticize using your own insights, rather than further spamming what you find lying around in the comment section. Sound advice.
I have no idea now what I meant by quoting that.