Dear Miss M, you received some good feedback here. I like this from Smile : "Maybe your critique group needs to paint their critiques to match your essay instead of asking you to paint your essay to match their critique." When I was at the Vermont College post-graduate writers conference, we'd break into our small groups each day and critique one anothers' manuscripts. There was one member of our group who did not have any writing experience. She got into the conference based on a manuscript in progress. During each critique, she would say, "I'd like to hear more about this aspect. I'd like you to flesh this out. I'd like to see this, that and the other thing." It got irritating because her comments were about her and what she wanted, and not about the vision of the writer. Also, in Toastmasters, a member evaluates another members speech. I did a speech on "Journal Writing: What is it? What are the benefits?" I mentioned blog pages because it is a current (albeit loose) form of journal writing. The evaluator of my speech said, "I would have liked to have heard more about blog pages." Well, my speech was not about blog pages. It was about journal writing, of which blog pages is just one example. I told him, "Well, then, I'll make my next speech about blog pages." Today, a young man gave an ice breaker speech titled "The best year of my life" in which he mentioned being a college grad, a ski bum, a bi-coastal resident, and a trip to Africa. The evaluator said, "Great speech, but I would like to hear more about Africa." Wouldn't we all? That was NOT what his speech was about. So, my point is to stick to your vision. You are the writer. You own the piece. I hope the next critique they stick to what they are given and not what they want. Love and Light, Lynn