Next time you’re asked to review something, remember that people are super sensitive to criticism about their writing. Also, remember they probably invested a lot of time in it already and any changes you suggest will mean even more work for them.

Here are four tips that will help ensure your comments lead to positive change without hurting any feelings:

1. Clarify what your colleague wants you to read for. Do they want a substantive edit, where you suggest changing the structure, or do they want a quick proofread? Also, find out what their deadline is. If the deadline is one hour away, there’s no point suggesting substantive changes.
2. Always try to point out something positive, and give your positive comments the same weight you give your criticism. It’s difficult to see the positive on your first read–much easier to see the flaws, so read it through twice. This ensures they will repeat the positive next time they write and makes them more receptive to your other comments.
3. Express your comments from a reader’s point of view. Instead of saying “This sentence is unclear” say something like, “When I was reading this section, I found this sentence unclear.”
4. Resist the urge to impose your personal writing style on the writer. Allow others to have their own voice. (Hard to do!)

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