Writers don’t write in a vacuum. Critiquing others’ work trains us to develop our creative craft by discovering new ways to express ideas. Re-contextualising concepts found in existing work by presenting them in a different way raises interesting questions about the relationship between form and language, and how these work together (or against each other) to generate meaning. Combining different styles and disciplines can help writers generate a fresh voice of their own, which harbours the influence of those we admire, like ink spilling through a page.
By engaging with a wide variety of work, writers develop a richer understanding of how language can be used. Literary heritage and tradition from all around the world raises questions about why we write the way we write, and encourages experimentation in formal construction. Developing critique skills helps develop auto-critique skills, enabling writers to objectively and effectively edit and improve our own work.