Virtual Reading & Critique

Goal and Purpose of Virtual Critique

This capability will give members who may be traveling, remote or shut-in more opportunity to read and enjoy others' uploaded work and allow them to feedback suggestions and comments collaboratively online.

The Process

Our Virtual Critique process is NOT a video (Zoom) meeting. Attendees dial in to join a voice conference call. We listen as the author reads their chapter.

At the same time, we visually access the author's work which was saved in the Virtual Critique folder on our website. Members may enter critique comments directly into the author's shared document.

After the reading, members give verbal feedback. The written comments can be reviewed later.

Reading & Commenting

There are 2 different access modes

email link access

  1. You received an email announcing access to the shared folder. Click the OPEN button in email.

  2. The Google Drive should open in a browser.

  3. Double click the file you want to critique. The file should open in the Google Docs app.

  4. On the Google Docs menu, select VIEW / MODE / SUGGESTING

virtual folder access

If you have been granted access to the shared virtual folder below

  1. Double click the file you want to critique. The file should open in the Google Docs app.

  2. On the Google Docs menu, select VIEW / MODE / SUGGESTING


Virtual Critique folder

Adding Comments and Suggestions

The Google Docs app provides built-in capability to collaborate between authors and reviewers. You can suggest corrections as comments or edit directly. The author may then accept or reject your edits.

On the Google Docs menu, select VIEW / MODE / SUGGESTING

Uploading Your Work

There are 2 ways to upload your work

email attachment

Send your work as an attachment to the virtual folder coordinator.

Note: By using this method, your work won't be visible to others until coordinator takes action and you won't appear as the author.

virtual folder access

If you have been granted access to the shared virtual folder

  1. Click the 'expand' icon in the upper right corner of the shared virtual folder.

  2. Drag your file from your computer's file manager app and drop it into the shared virtual folder.

file size limitation

  1. File types: text file (myfile.txt) or Word compatible document (myfile.doc)

  2. limit text content size to lessor of 2,500 words or 17,500 characters

Saving Your File with Reader Comments

  1. Open your document in Google docs

  2. Under the 'File' menu, select 'Download' (Note: This might be 'Export' for some)

  3. Select your preferred file format (Most likely 'Microsoft Word')

  4. On your computer, go to your 'Downloads' folder and open your file

  5. Et voila! Your document along with the reader comments in a markup area - 'Save As' to your preferred location on your computer or your cloud and you can read them at your leisure