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GOOD NETFIC THROUGH BETTER FEEDBACK
By Marla R. Reed
copyright August 2000
GIVING FEEDBACK AS A VALUABLE WRITING TOOL
The best thing that a reader can to do to help a writer improve
is to give them generous amounts of honest, constructive feedback.
But how to go about giving feedback can be a very difficult thing to decide.
The biggest worry is the fear of saying something wrong or stupid.
Don't worry, chances are you will:) Truth is, we all do sometimes
and it's forgivable as long as both the reader and the writer understand
that it's being offered as help. As the reader begins to actively
participate in giving feedback he/she will improve just as they will help
the writer to improve.
Posting a story to the net is an act of courage on the part of the
writer and the worst response they can get is silence. Silence undermines
a writer's self confidence, especially a new writer! The second worst
response is comments with no elaboration. Things such as "I liked
it", "It was good" or "I just didn't work for me" don't help the writer
to understand exactly what she/he did well or needs to improve on.
Being specific is far more constructive and valuable to the writer and
the reader. Believe it or not but the majority of writers, especially
new ones, really don't have any awareness of their strengths or weaknesses
as a writer. They need to be made specifically aware of those things so
that they can build on the strengths and repair the weaknesses. The following
is one possible approach to take that will help you to give feedback that
is constructive and productive to the writer and to other readers.
Since feedback can be a tough thing to approach, especially when
you are unfamiliar with the writer, the best way to go about it is to compose
your feedback into the form of a letter to the writer. You can post
this to the group or send it through private mail. Making it into
something as informal as a letter lends a personal touch and indicates
that you are involved in wanting to help the writer. Remember to
be honest above all else. False praise can lead a writer astray.
Start your feedback out by mentioning everything you liked about
the story. Remember to give specifics. If a writer uses exceptional
details, passages or character insight make sure to point them out.
Next, move on to what you felt were weak points in the story or what didn't
work for you. Use the language of constructive criticism. Remember
to phrase you comments tactfully and realistically. Another important
aspect of constructive, helpful feedback is to keep an open mind regarding
the writer's style and views on the subject of the story. If they
have approached a topic or viewpoint that differs from your own, use as
much nonjudgemental wording as possible to bring across what you felt were
weak points.
Again, please keep in mind that the writer is displaying a great
deal of courage by sharing his/her work with you. Reward that courage not
with the gold of silence, but with the precious gift of real, honest
feedback!
ACCEPTING FEEDBACK AS A VALUABLE WRITING TOOL
Feedback helps a writer improve their craft, but it's often hard
for people to approach the act of giving feedback. Many people are
concerned about how a writer will react or if they will inadvertently say
something harmful. Many readers worry that if they critique a writer's
style or approach to a viewpoint, it will damage the writer's self esteem.
In reality, when a writer has a healthy approach to feedback, it cannot
have this kind of power over them.
The best way for the writer to clear this worry away and to encourage
feedback on their writing is to be sure and make it known that you would
like to have open, honest feedback. Make your readers aware that
you view feedback solely as means to improve your writing. Once this is
established, it will be easier for the reader to make the decision to participate
in giving feedback.
The most important way to encourage the reader to give you feedback
is to be careful how you present your request and what the wording might
convey. Remember, on the internet, facial expression and tone of
voice are not available to use as a tool to make a judgment on the wording.
It's best to absolutely avoid using the following two phrases(or a variation
thereof) in your request for feedback:
1. Please be kind.
2. Flaming won't hurt me.
The first one does the one thing you want to avoid--making yourself
seem incapable of accepting anything but positive feedback. It leaves
the reader worrying and debating over what your definition of 'unkind'
is. It leads them to remain silent rather than take the risk of hurting
your feelings. The second one is equally as detrimental because it
gives the impression you will view anything but positive feedback as flaming
even if that is not the case. It leads the reader to be concerned over
what you consider flaming to be. It leads them to remain silent rather
than run the risk of starting a conflagration. The best thing to
do, is to never give the impression you associate flaming with feedback.
Instead, here are some helpful things you should give your readers
as guidelines for providing you with constructive, useful feedback.
Be honest about the work you are presenting. Let the reader
know if it is a first draft, revision or final product. Let them
know if you are a new writer or if this is a new genre/topic aspect for
you. Be specific about the kind of feedback you want (or don't want)
such as comments on overall content, characterization, punctuation and
so on.
Once your feedback starts coming in, here are some important things
to keep in mind to help you get the most benefit out of it.
Ask questions. If you are unclear as to what something is
referring to or means or if you would just like more information, ask.
Chances are the reader will be more than happy to have a discussion with
you about it. Odd as it sounds, a discussion of this nature should
not be taken to private mail since it may have the potential to help another
writer who needs the same kind of feedback for their work.
Remember that readers often disagree about what they have read.
You will get different views on the same topic and there will possibly
be reactions to feedback comments from others. This is a productive
thing as long as the feedback/comments involved are geared towards what's
best for the writer. Sometimes, feedback discussion between readers
can result in trying to win an argument or prove a point rather than offer
a solution. Learn to recognize this feedback for what it is and don't
take it personally as it usually has nothing to do with your overall writing
or story. Objectively choose the constructive things it has to offer and
move on.
If feedback from several people leaves you with conflicting comments
or there was more than two overly severe comments, don't respond right
away. Instead, read everything through once, set it aside for a few
days then go back to it. This gives you time to process what was
said and to be more objective about how it applies to what you have written.
This also gives you time to decide if the criticism was inaccurate or off
track. Also take time to look at the overall mood or basic views
on a topic that the group may have as a whole (a 'shipper' story may not
do as well with a 'nonshipper' crowd'). This can be a very vital
aspect of how you choose to be influenced by feedback.
If you come to the conclusion that the feedback which was critical
of your work is on the mark and was well intended, please keep one last,
important thing in mind when using feedback as tool to help you with your
writing. Always remember that there isn't a writer out there who
hasn't, at one time or another, written something really embarrassingly
bad. It's OK to get mad at yourself for this, that's normal.
So go ahead and pout for a few days over it, then also remember that the
only way a writer gets better is to keep writing and to use the helpful
comments they got from feedback as means to improve themselves.
And, be sure to say thank you to the reader who took the time to
help you become a better writer!
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