Feedback is a notoriously important part of the writing process, yet one many writers learn to fear and despise. If not done well, it can feel like a punch in the gut or an overwhelming flood of opinions on your writing. Many struggle to make a sense of comments or aren’t sure how much of them to take on board. After all, you’ve spent hours, days, weeks or months chiselling out your story or a novel, so sending it to the first readers in exchange for their comments can feel excruciating. What if they tear it to pieces? What if they love it? What if they say you’re wasting their time?

The first time I read a story to a group of writers, I was terrified of what they’d say and prepared for the worst-case scenario. It didn’t happen, of course. Writers know that writing isn’t easy and tend to be supportive and encouraging when giving feedback. In my case, they said they liked the story and provided many useful comments to improve it. You can learn a lot from receiving feedback, and even more from giving it.

As harsh as it sometimes feels to hear that your writing/story isn’t quite there yet, writers need feedback to improve their craft. However, whom, how and when you ask for feedback on your writing can make a world of difference.

Throughout many years of giving and receiving feedback, I’ve assembled a couple of guidelines that can support you on the way.

1. Never share your first draft
I get it. You’ve just finished a story, you’re super-excited and you want to share it with someone. Don’t. The first draft should be called the writer’s draft because it’s for your eyes only. Not only because the story is in a very fragile form and will probably evolve further within days, but also because the purpose of the first draft is for the writer to figure out the basics, like what the story is about and where to take it. It’s essential to go back and revise the story with these answers in mind before you ask anyone else for their opinion. That includes your loved ones (more on that below).

“The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.”
Terry Pratchett

 

First drafts are best kept in a drawer for a few days or weeks, then read on paper with a red pencil at hand to mark potential changes. The audience can come in only after the essentials are sorted out. Unless your story has a firm structure and a direction, the comments you’ll receive are likely to be confusing and shooting off into all possible directions. You’ll be wasting your own time trying to make sense of the comments or deciding how to tackle them, and the time of your readers, who will comment on something that isn’t fully fledged yet. If you’re not sure what the story is about or where you’re going with it, take a step back and revise until you figure it out.

I was once asked for feedback on a chapter that read suspiciously like a first draft and had no clear direction or storyline. When I returned to the author with a few very basic questions, they said they didn’t have the answers but hoped the feedback would help find them. Except that it can’t, because this wasn’t my story and no reader can or should take the ownership of your story or decide how it should develop. Sorting out the basics before asking for feedback will not only help you process the feedback, but also decide which parts to keep and which not.

2. Pick your beta-readers
We’ve all been there. After having written something, you ask a friend, a close relative or your partner to read it and tell you what they think. Chances are they’ll say it’s great and perhaps, if pressed, they’ll add one or two small critical notes and that will be it. Every writer needs support and as great as it is to hear that your loved ones enjoy your work, their feedback won’t help you improve the craft, not unless one of your loved ones works in the industry or is an avid reader who doesn’t shy away from criticism.

What you need is a group of beta-readers, these are people who will read your work before anyone else and provide you with their feedback. Ideally, you’ll want a mix of readers and writers to feedback on your work. Make sure some of them write or read in your genre, but also include avid readers who read widely. It’s always good to have a fresh perspective, so you get a good variety of opinions that will help you improve your story.
Determine what kind of style suits you best. People’s feedback styles can differ widely from vague to very direct and critical, so you’ll want to include a healthy mix.

Although, if you’re only just starting out, you may want to include more people who will be critical in a kind way. Getting hammered down at the start of your journey rarely has positive effects. As a general rule of feedback, it’s good to point out potential improvements and comment on the things that are done well.

3. Set expectations, ask questions
Once you’ll start receiving feedback, you’ll notice that some people write more, others will keep their comments short, some will go into many details, others will not, some will identify issues, others will offer solutions on top of that. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, then having a mix is good. However, if you’re interested in a specific kind of feedback, be upfront about it. Do you only want top level comments on the story structure and the characters or do you expect more granular feedback that will examine each line?

As a rule, I like to leave my beta-readers the freedom to say what they want about the story, but I ask a few extra questions on top. These are a good sample:

• Does the story work for you and why?
• Where does the story start to get interesting?
• Did your attention drop? Where?
• What characters did you like most/least?
• What are your favourite parts of the story?
• Which parts are your least favourite?
• Is there anything confusing or illogical?
• Are the characters convincing?
• Is the ending satisfying?

In this way, I get specific answers about which parts of the story I need to work more on which dull bits I need to cut out.

It’s also good to be clear how you will use their feedback. Something along the lines of: I’m grateful for your feedback and comments. I will consider them when writing the final draft and implement those that ring true to my story.

4. Respect their time and effort
Giving feedback requires time and effort, so acknowledge this and thank your readers. After all, they will invest a few hours into helping you improve your work. This is especially true for novels, which take a long time to read and give feedback on. I like to thank my beta-readers by sending them a paperback of the first edition for their time and effort.

Those who don’t know where to start looking for beta-readers might want to explore paid options, which will put you in touch with a community of beta-readers. However, in the long run, I’d advise you to cultivate the relationships with your beta-readers and reward them for their efforts.

5. Don’t argue with feedback, ask follow-up questions
Sometimes you will disagree with the feedback provided and will have the urge to explain to the reader that they’ve got it all wrong. Don’t. Remember that the feedback is their understanding/reading of your story, not yours. While there’s always a chance they misread or misunderstood something, there’s also an equal chance that the story left room for interpretation. Either way, don’t argue. Ask follow-up questions instead.

If, for example, the reader understood something different from what you intended, you might want to know where they picked it up. Different perspectives can point towards a blind spot. At other times, they show the need for more clarity or simply how our backgrounds can influence our understanding.
In the end, their task is to provide feedback and yours is to decide how to use it.

6. Take time to process feedback
Once you’ve received the comments, especially if you’ve got them from several people, read through them right away, but sit on it for a while before making any changes. Usually, you’ll need at least a few days to properly process all the comments and receive answers to your follow-up questions. Afterward comes the difficult task of deciding what to keep and what not. I like to make a list of intended changes, starting with the bigger cuts in the story, then finishing with the small details, typos, etc. This way I make sure nothing gets lost and I don’t have to sift through the individual feedback papers to check that I’ve caught everything I wanted to.
Taking some extra time can also help deal with the more critical comments. A day or two can help you gain the critical distance needed to see a point in a comment you initially rejected.

7. Implement and Discard
So you’ve processed the feedback and you’re sure about most parts, but there are a few where you can’t decide what to do. Change it or leave it as it is? The best way to decide is to listen to your gut feeling.
Sometimes you already suspect which parts of the story don’t work, but you’re not sure why. Then, someone comments on it and it becomes clear. Those you need to change. On the other hand, you might have readers insisting you need to change this or that detail which you know is completely okay. In this case, leave it as it is.

However, if several people have picked up on the same or a similar thing, they’re probably onto something. You’ll want to look closer at that part and see how to fix it. Be careful when considering people’s suggested solutions, though. Only take them on board if they serve the story.

“Remember: when people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.”
Neil Gaiman