Writing is often a very personal activity that allows us to be vulnerable and create something unique to us. While we may write journal entries or stories that we keep to ourselves, there are times when we wish to share our work with others. This can be difficult for many people since exposing our creativity to someone else’s opinion can leave one feeling vulnerable.
This can lead us to keep our writing private, never taking the next steps toward improving and releasing our works to a wider audience. Stepping out of our comfort zone and asking for feedback can be daunting and terrifying, but it is one we must take to get any creative work to the next level.
I recently submitted a screenplay for coverage from a reputable service and requested an in-depth analysis. And, boy, did they deliver! In fact, as I skimmed their feedback, I became afraid to read it fully because the analysis was so harsh and hypercritical upon first glance.
This can evoke defensive and angry responses when you read feedback like this. You spend weeks or months crafting a work, only for some stranger to destroy all you’ve built over that time. It hurts. But the reality is that if you’re going to put your work out there for the world to see, it’s better to accept and improve your writing before it goes to the masses.
Let’s talk about six ways to approach feedback positively and proactively.
Don’t Take it Personally
The person reading your work, whether they know you or not, is basing their opinions and feedback on what’s in front of them. If they don’t feel something in the story is working, if the characters don’t connect with them, or if the dialogue is awkward, these are things that can be fixed.
Getting upset or defensive prevents you from addressing the issues and working to fix the problems presented by the person giving feedback. Honest, constructive criticism will help you far more than fake, glowing praise.
Change Your Perspective
If you weren’t the author, would you agree with the feedback received? Does the feedback make valid points that you missed since you’re so close to the work?
Taking a step back and seeing your writing from another person’s perspective can go a long way toward accepting negative feedback.
You can also approach the work from a reader’s perspective rather than a writer’s to see whether the points in the feedback are valid (and many probably are).
Balance the Good with the Bad
Ideally, there should be some positive feedback along with the negative feedback. While the person giving you feedback may focus more on what needs fixing, there should be some positives in the mix.
If there aren’t, ask the person giving you feedback about it. This may come down to what specific feedback you ask for and how you want it communicated to you. Make sure to ask for the good and the bad, so you have some idea of what’s working and what’s not.
More Than One Opinion
Ask multiple people for feedback and see what they agree on and what they disagree on about your work. If more than one person brings up a specific issue, that’s probably something worth addressing and fixing. If there’s a disagreement, ask for clarification to understand why one likes something and the other doesn’t.
All of this is intended to improve and strengthen your work.
Consider All Feedback
There’s a reason the person giving you feedback felt the way they did about certain aspects of your work. Take the time to understand and process those reasons, and see whether making changes will strengthen your work and make it more palatable to a wider audience.
Don’t ignore what’s being said and suggested. Read the feedback more than once. Ask the feedback person questions for clarity. Feedback should be collaborative.
You’re the Final Say
Ultimately, you make the executive decisions about which feedback to accept and which to ignore. It’s your work after all, so if the feedback doesn’t fit with how you want the story or characters to be, you have the power to move past the feedback provided.
Making cuts and changes can often feel like a personal attack on you as a creative person, but taking the leap and working to craft a stronger work can make you a better writer and make your ability to accept feedback less emotionally impactful.
Final Thoughts
Asking for feedback can be scary and daunting, and waiting for it can be just as stressful. However, it’s a necessary part of the creative process and an aspect that can help you grow and improve as a writer.
Yes, it can be tough to hear honest feedback that isn’t glowing praise, but you can’t get better at something if you aren’t challenged to get better. By incorporating feedback into your creative process, you can eliminate emotion and craft a stronger, more effective final product.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
