On feedback

Writing a book is a solitary task—you sit in front of the computer for days on end, immersed in the worlds you’ve created, following the characters and exploring their stories. But more often than not it’s helpful to share your process with someone else, be it a trusted friend or a family member, who can give you a fresh perspective on the events enfolding in your head. If that someone is an author themselves or maybe even a professional editor, their feedback can push your story in the right direction and correct mistakes you might not have noticed.

But not all advice is helpful. While constructive feedback aims to make your work better, explaining why parts of your story didn’t work and how they could be improved, pure criticism feels like disapproval that can shake your confidence and even lead to giving up. In the first case you feel the person roots for you and wants to help you polish your book to a high shine. In the second case you start questioning if the person misunderstood your intention or if you are really a bad writer and should choose a different path.

I value constructive feedback. And when I know the person genuinely cares for me to succeed, I consider all of their inputs and opinions because I feel they want my story to become the best it can. That doesn’t mean I automatically accept and change everything they point out. But I examine each idea. Who knows, maybe their insight is the one puzzle piece that will help me elevate my story to new heights.

Update—or where in the publishing process am I

I’m currently at a point where I’ve received feedback from my beta-readers for the first two books in the Mirror of Truth trilogy. Some of it was constructive and very helpful, some of it less so. I’ve incorporated most of it and genuinely feel the story grew thanks to the suggestions.

Now comes a new phase of the editing process. It’s time to start researching professional editors. I must say, presenting my story to be critiqued by someone I don’t know yet is a bit nerve-wracking. Will I choose the right person? Will they be a good match? Will they understand my intention? But unless I overcome these worries, I’ll never move on.

So it’s time to gather my courage and start searching. Wish me luck! Next month I will update you on the, hopefully successful, process.

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