Giving respectful, productive feedback in writing groups

I’m in Week 5 of teaching my The Unbearable Lightness of Novel Writing course and we’re talking about giving and receiving constructive feedback. This is easier said than done—you want to help a writer move forward with their project without stifling them with criticism. As the person receiving feedback, you want clear guidance on how to strengthen your work, not just a list of what’s wrong.

I like this quote by Anne Lamott who says “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life.” It captures something about the vulnerability of sharing our work and the responsibility we have as readers of early drafts.

In my experience, the best feedback:

• Points to what’s working (so you know what to keep doing)

• Asks questions rather than gives answers (”What if...” instead of “You should...”)

• Focuses on the reader’s experience (”I got confused here” vs “This is confusing”)

• Respects that it’s the writer’s story to tell

  
  

If you’re in a writing group or working with beta readers, try starting with “What did you hope readers would feel or understand here?”