So, you finally sent your manuscript to a friend or fellow writer (or worse, an editor). What will they think of your writing? Will they affirm your dream of selling millions of copies and changing lives with your brilliant prose? Or will they set fire to your future and destroy your last shard of hope?
Okay, maybe I am being a bit dramatic, but feedback can feel like that at times. As a writer, it’s hard to separate your worth from your work. This is why so many writers shrink away from the idea of sending their book to someone for feedback. Not every piece of critique is positive. Sometimes, it can leave you feeling defeated.
What do you do with feedback that hurts?
Critique Doesn’t Mean You Shouldn’t Write
Even the most successful bestsellers receive negative critique on their writing. It’s just part of the job.
So congratulations! You’re one step closer to being a bestselling author!
Positive attitude aside, critique shouldn’t discourage you from ever typing another word again. It doesn’t mean you can’t write well, or that you should give up on ever selling a book. All it means is that you now know which areas need more attention and growth. Here’s a little secret: we all have room to grow. We will never stop growing and improving our skills, so get rid of the idea of perfection. Perfection is boring (and impossible).
So, you know you shouldn’t give up. What now?
Make a Plan for Editing
The good thing about letting someone read your writing is that others can see problems you might have overlooked. With more eyes on the manuscript, it’s a lot harder for issues to slip by unnoticed. So, take feedback into consideration and make a plan for how you will edit the next draft.
Personally, I like to tackle big issues first, then trickle down to the smaller complaints. For example, one of my manuscripts had severe character arc problems. My character’s inner journey split into two paths in the middle of the book, which muddled the ending and left things feeling unresolved. The novel also had minor issues with a subplot between two friends in an argument.
Instead of trying to fix everything at once, I tackled the main character arc issue. That ended up resolving the minor subplot at the same time. I saved myself a lot of trouble, and I wouldn’t have picked up on these major problems if I hadn’t sent my manuscript to an editor for feedback.
In the end, any critique will make you a better writer. This is not a job you can do alone, so having help will make editing easier.
Your Worth is not Your Work
I can’t stress this enough. Your worth does not lie in your work. You HAVE to make that separation in your mind or else any negative feedback will drown you.
As writers, we pour so much of our hearts into the stories we write. When those stories get picked apart, it can feel like our hearts are breaking too. We can feel like the message we want to tell is silly, or not worth anyone’s time. We can begin to question if we have anything worth saying at all; in our books, and eventually, in our own lives. This is a dangerous spiral that I want to help you avoid.
I’d know, because I’ve been there.
When I sent my first manuscript to a friend for critique, I was so proud of what I’d written and couldn’t wait to blow my friend’s socks off. The result: honest critique on real problems in my story that left me feeling silly for liking my story in the first place. I’d opened my heart while writing this story and thought others would relate and finish the book feeling seen and encouraged. But I only felt dramatic and under-qualified.
It took a lot of work, but I picked myself up and started editing with a fresh perspective. My writing didn’t define me, and I couldn’t let feedback on my book wound me personally.
This wasn’t the first time I received negative feedback and it certainly wasn’t the last. But I learned from that experience. I can’t place my life’s worth in my writing. I am so much more than that. And so are you!
So, I hope the idea of critique doesn’t scare you as much anymore. We all receive it, and we all can learn from it. Critique is an opportunity for growth. It is not an attack against you or your writing.
Send that manuscript. Do the scary things.
It will only make you a stronger writer.