Activity 2.5.1: Peer Review — Backstory Discussion
Learning Targets
I can give and receive constructive feedback on character writing.
Your Task
You'll read a classmate's character backstory and provide structured, constructive feedback using the TAG protocol you learned in Unit 1.
The TAG Protocol
TAG stands for Tell, Ask, Give. Use this structure for your feedback:
Tell something you liked. Be specific—name a detail, a technique, a moment that worked well for you as a reader.
Ask a genuine question about the character. This is something you want to know more about, something that made you curious.
Give a suggestion. Offer one specific, actionable improvement connected to the techniques you learned in Lesson 2.4.
Directions
- Your teacher will assign you a partner's backstory to review.
- Read the entire backstory once for the story. Just experience the character.
- Read it a second time looking for craft: Wound and Want, showing vs. telling, world integration, sensory detail, character complexity.
- Write your TAG feedback (minimum 6–8 sentences total):
- TELL: Identify at least 2 specific moments that work well. Name exact details or techniques.
- ASK: Write at least 1 genuine question about the character you want to know more about.
- GIVE: Offer at least 1 specific suggestion tied to a technique from Lesson 2.4.
- Post your feedback where your teacher directs.
- When you receive feedback, write a brief response: What will you use in revision? What will you set aside and why?
Sentence Frames to Help You Write Feedback
T: "The moment where ___ was powerful because it showed ___ without telling us directly."
T: "I could feel the character's wound when you wrote '___' because ___."
A: "I'm curious about ___. What shaped this part of the character's history?"
G: "One place where you could strengthen the 'showing' would be ___. This connects to the technique of ___ from Lesson 2.4."
Peer feedback on character backstories can feel personal because these characters often carry pieces of ourselves. Some ground rules: We critique the writing, not the writer. We honor that every character choice is intentional. We frame suggestions as "What if..." or "Have you considered..." rather than "You should..." Being a thoughtful reader of someone else's character work makes you a better character writer.
AI Guidance for This Activity
Do not use AI to write your peer feedback. Your observations should reflect YOUR reading experience. This is valuable work—your unique perspective as a reader is what makes peer feedback powerful.
What's Next
After receiving feedback, revise your backstory based on the TAG feedback you found most helpful. Then move to Lesson 2.6: Motivation and Goals.