For those who know me, I don’t think it comes as a big shock that I have a soft spot for new writers. I had my own negative experiences over my writing when I was a young teen, so I’ve always hoped that I could encourage a young/new writer to keep going, rather than throwing their hands in their air and hiding their imagination under a rock.
I’ve learned a few things in my “old” age:
a) Anyone can develop the skills of a writer if it is what they truly want to do
b) No one’s opinion is final - sometimes, not even your own
The first point is easy to explain. If you want to be a writer - then write. Your skill will develop the more you put pen to paper. Learn from your mistakes. Learn from the mistakes of others. Keep growing. Keep reading. Keep writing. I’ll focus on passion in another discussion (borrowing the ‘can of worms’ phrase from the Writing excuses podcast).
The second point brings us to the point of this post: Feedback.
Writing tends to be a solitary activity, but inevitably, the time comes for writers to find themselves some readers. For new writers, this can be particularly helpful as they iron out any wrinkles and find their voice.
But…
- And yes, I’m using the ellipses for a reason -
Some forms of feedback may have the opposite effect - discouraging and confusing, rather than aiding and motivating. For that reason, writers need to know what types of feedback they can expect.
Today’s wireless society has made feedback more accessible to writers. And, by the same token, it also gives readers the confidence and anonymity to say what is really on their mind. This change in social structure and the internet’s lack context sensitivity (that is, when you lose the personal inflection you naturally have in face-to-face conversations, so words intended as helpful may be interpreted as belittling or insulting online) should be kept in mind when reading the following.
Over the years, I have been a part of various types of boards and groups, and in my own mind I’ve been able to isolate the forms of feedback into three categories: general feedback, critical review and constructive feedback. Obviously my personal experience may differ widely from another writer’s, so it is up to each writer/reader to make up their mind about this topic.
Aside: You are more than welcome to disagree and share your own personal experiences on this topic.
The Types
General feedback
This is the pulse of your writing, and you’ll usually only receive it after your finished product has been released to the world at large (unless you hand your story to non-writer friends and family members first). It’s what you use to gauge how well your writing is received. You’ll get this type of feedback from people who aren’t too concerned with story acts, the steps a mythic hero takes or whether your writing has an underlying theme that demonstrates man’s weakness for chocolate. They want to be entertained, and they’ll base their reactions on whether or not that was achieved.
General feedback isn’t always verbal either. It can take the form of book sales, fan websites, “shippers” (members of fandom will know what that is), product merchandising and even fan-fiction. Fan-fiction is a controversial subject amongst writers (another subject for further discussion), but it’s clearly a sign that some form of community has sprung up around a work of writing.
A lot of writers crave general feedback and often take a lack of this feedback as a sign of failure or disinterest. While it may be an indication that something in the story needed a spit and polish, it could also be a sign that people are just unaware of its existence. Take Joss Whedon’s Firefly, a short-lived show on Fox TV. Very few would argue that it is not a well-written and well-acted television show, yet it performed poorly in the ratings and was cancelled shortly into its run. Reasons for the failure could be attributed to poor marketing as well as the mainstream audience’s tendency to resist anything that isn’t too formulaic and serialized. Subsequent DVD sales showed that the Firefly audience grew far beyond the numbers that Fox saw on initial airing. Sometimes an audience needs time to grow and adjust their perceptions.
Critical reviews
Like general feedback, critical reviews will generally appear after a final product has been released. Readers who provide critical reviews generally have a deeper interest in story elements and crafting. They want to be entertained and appreciate the story they have put time into reading/viewing. You will see critical reviews in the form of book, film or television reviews on popular sites or newspapers.
While critical reviews are more detailed than general feedback and often display greater thought, they are still often peppered with personal bias. A piece of writing loved by one critical reviewer may in turn be equally reviled by another. All writers should keep this in mind when receiving a scathing review. The best defence is to avoid an offence. Assess the review as you would a wayward character. Pick the bones clean of personal opinion and then you will see if there is a solid skeleton beneath that you can work with. If there are no bones beneath the fat, then the review cannot help you or your writing. In moments like those, you will need to “push through” and focus on continuing with your writing. It may be helpful at this point to surround yourself with positives, for example, keep a list of why you love writing, engage in a lively discussion with fellow enthusiastic writers or read a writing book by a famous author. Almost all contain stories of rejection, and if they eventually found success - then so can you.
There is some debate on boards and groups whether or not critical reviews can be considered “constructive”. This is entirely at the discretion of the writer, especially when these reviews occur after you’ve handed your darling off to the great beyond. If there is something to be learned from the reviews, then keep those lessons in mind (unless the lesson is “grow a thicker skin” - I cannot abide it when that is the sole piece of advice readers or other writers think they have for others). If there is nothing to be gained or learned… don’t dwell. Write.
Constructive feedback
For new writers, this form of feedback may be considered the mothership of skills-building. If you find the correct reviewing partner for you, it can be one of the more pleasant ways of enhancing your understanding of writing techniques, formats and styles. A good constructive relationship can best be described as a symbiotic relationship where the reviewer and writer work together to achieve the same goal, in this case, a story that is as free from flaws as humanly possible.
Constructive feedback is best built in layers. Begin and end with positives and place the “meat” of your review in between. We do this because we allow our critical minds to focus on the nitty gritties without remembering to point out what we liked about the story and what should stay as is. If it isn’t broke, don’t leave the impression that it needs fixed.
Some reviewers are excellent with grammar and spelling, but may not be able to help you with plot structure or character arcs. Other reviewers are able to creatively focus on plot/pacing problems, but may not put as much importance on language or style. Finding the reviewer that works for you is really dependent on where you feel your strengths and weaknesses lie.
Every reviewer has their own style and preferences, so I can only provide a description of my own reviewing methods and what I have learned from others.
My best practices are to print-out the document with extra margin-width or line spacing and write notes. I do not focus on grammar overly much (I’ll catch what I can), as I prefer measuring “story flow”. I’ll do this by first reading, and then questioning what it is that interrupts or distracts me from following the story through. Is the language preventing me from picturing the scenes in my head or is it the character actions? Are there any clumpy words and difficult reams of dialogue that break my stride? Are the sentences short and snappy for action scenes? Do I care about the characters? Does what they do make sense?
In areas I “flag”, I will also try and provide possible solutions - with the express disclaimer that I am not attempting to rewrite the original. It is not my role to rewrite the story as I see fit - it is to aid the writer transform their darling within the boundaries of their own voice, making choices they are happy with. Writers are also privy to information that the reviewer is not, such as characters back-story and possible future storylines, so it is possible that something perceived as a flaw might be intentional.
Remember, constructive reviews are useful to point out possible flaws, but ultimately, the final decision on what changes rests in the writer’s hands. You may find that the solutions you offer allow the writer to see another solution that you, the reviewer, had not considered. It is a much more dynamic process of give and take than the other forms of review.
Other considerations
Time
You’ve probably noticed that I’ve listed each type of feedback in order of the amount of time it will take the reviewer to complete each. Constructive feedback will probably require an initial read-through for an overview of the plot, characters et cetera and then a page by page breakdown for specifics like language. Try not to overload a reviewer with too much at one time, for example, don’t give a reviewer a 700 page novel with a week’s deadline unless it’s the person’s job. Most initial constructive reviews for new writers come from online groups, friends or offline writer’s groups, which means it is likely they are volunteering.
Requesting
Be very sure of what exactly it is you are requesting and that your reviewer is on the same page as you are. For example, people begging for feedback in fan-fiction forums are more likely to be actually asking for glowing general feedback, whereas writers in a writing group are hoping for constructive feedback that doesn’t decimate their writing confidence.
The simple truth
You will get negative reviews. It is inevitable and unavoidable. Some writers shrug it off and carry on without a second’s thought; others retreat into themselves until their wounds have healed, but many more chalk it up to a learning experience, grow and find a way to balance the positives and the negatives. Aim for the latter, but if all else fails, never forget that you are not alone in this writing struggle. Kindred spirits are but a keystroke away.
Good luck and keep writing.
Roon
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