All that Glitters

Turn negative feedback into writing gold

In this final instalment on how to get the best out of negative feedback, I’m going to give you some tips on where to find great feedback from your peer group. For seasoned authors, this is probably old news, but for the newbies out there who might be wondering where to begin, here are a few places to start:

• Enter competitions

These are a great way to get feedback but do be aware that some judges may be quite harsh on you. Most will offer you genuine, constructive feedback, others might offer very little in the way of comment but scores can also tell a story.

• Join a critique group

I can vouch that if it wasn’t for my lovely critique partners, my writing would not have grown and developed the way it has. Their feedback has been invaluable over the years. I was also very lucky to have an internationally acclaimed author-mentor who has written over 100 books. Her nurturing, generosity, and willingness to share her experiences in the publishing world, as well as her knowledge, helped make me the writer I am today.

• Attend workshops and conferences

RWA conferences were gold for me as a newbie/emerging writer. I learned so much from the workshops and by simply chatting to other writers. These are people who have experienced the ups and downs of writing, and who understand you in a way a non-writer can’t. Conferences are also a great way to find new friends. I attended my first conference in 2013 and am still friends with people I met there today. We’ve written a series together, brainstormed together, and been there for each other when the going gets tough.

• Find a good editor

This is one I can’t stress enough. It’s not an easy task, but find one you connect with, one who understands you and your writing style. Having your high school English teacher or a friend who is good with grammar and punctuation read it, is not enough. A qualified editor has training, an understanding of the reader market, experience within the publishing industry, and knows the difference a good plot and sound structure can make to a book.

• Analyse feedback

Be objective with your work, analyse the feedback, pick it apart, find the good stuff, throw away the bad, and make the changes that will add the polish to your manuscript.

• Apply the 2-in-3 Rule

A guideline I use in my critique group is that if 2 out 3 pick up on the same thing in their feedback, I have a real problem, and I need to investigate it.

• Don’t take it personally

Okay, it is personal. It hurts and it de-motivates. Get that emotion out of the way first. Let the feedback rest and simmer until your mind is ready to accept that you can read it objectively and make the necessary changes.

• Keep an open mind

If you don’t open your mind, you’ll never receive all those wonderful ideas that could turn your book into a reader’s favourite. That very comment you might dismiss in anger, could be the missing piece that brings your story together.

And that’s a wrap, my friends. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out via my contact page. I’d love to hear from you.