When it comes to seeking constructive criticism and feedback on your written works, it’s always an emotionally harrowing process for any creative professional. The goal when going to a critique group is to walk away with a more solid understanding of the actionable points needed to make your magnum opus even more brilliant.

The only way to achieve that understanding is through surrounding yourself with balanced cocktail of writers that support and deconstruct your book in a way that makes it open for healthy development. Here are the three types of people every writer’s critique group needs:

The Positive but Effective Critic

It’s always fantastic to have someone who is sans jealously and cynicism who can actively identify the amazing parts of your plot and prose – because who doesn’t need a writing confidence boost? Recognizing your own brilliance during the writing process is one thing, but when a critic can identify several points of the story’s construction that they admired, it will help you solidify those plot points and confidently build on them. We aren’t talking someone who will gushes compliments without reason, but a critical writer or reader is who is incredibly selective at identifying the parts of the book that will carry it to success.

The Gamer-Changer Constructive Critic

Perhaps the most useful type of critic in a writer’s critique group, the game-changing constructive is the one who enlightens you to hidden weaknesses in your book that have major potential to become great. He or she even offers you tips and tricks to get to that level and mentally provokes you to rethink plot or character development details overlooked. The game-changing constructive is your best friend, because they give you’re the inspiration to reinvent your prose and the ideas needed to make it happen.

The Imaginative Critic

This is the person who says “well this would be better” and goes on excessive, fantastical tangents on plot point and arcs you never imagined. Trust us, you need to have a strong filter when encountering this critic, but it could be one of the most useful types. This either solidifies your vision or makes you rethink the direction entirely, and either of these creatively stimulating literary exercises strengthens your book’s potential; no matter the outcome or changes you make, it will be stronger.