Each week I participate in critiquing work of my companion writers in my writers’ group. Sometimes the story is so well told our only criticism involves forgotten commas or a missing word. Other times we question what is happening at that moment in the story because we find something confusing.

Our group had critiqued a story I submitted for a critique at a writers conference. The critique was returned in written form, so there was no opportunity to question his/her conclusion. Since then I have had two people read the story and the critique. Both felt he/she had missed the point of the story.

Now the question is what do I do with this professional critique. I can agree with a point made about certain rhyming words. To use the other points, however, would in effect eliminate the repetitious rhyme which is the point of the story. I think I’ll probably do nothing whether or not it ever gets published. Am I right or wrong? I don’t know.