The Importance of Feedback (And being able to admit you might be wrong)
One of the biggest aspects of writing that I've struggled with is being able to accept feedback. I'm mostly talking about constructive criticism, but sometimes even positive feedback has been difficult for me. I received a little too much praise when I was a kid/teenager for my writing, and too little criticism, as a result these two very important parts of the process have become stumbling blocks for me.
The issue is, I tend to want to reject both forms of feedback. I reject positive feedback because I don't think I deserve it. And oddly enough the same can be said for constructive criticisms. It doesn't make a lot of sense, but there it is. Luckily I've found ways to overcome my own personal failings.
First, I formed a writer's group. There are only three of us, but we all have varied enough experiences, and writing styles that it works. My fellow group members aren't published, yet, but they are both excellent writers and when their books are finished I'll be sure to post about them. Anyway what having a writer's group has done for me is it has exposed my work to more feedback.
It was not easy at first. Part of the problem is I have issues with depression. I was on medication for a while, until my life stabilized. For the most part it's under control, but when people are critical of my writing it tends to rear it's ugly head. (This is why I will never read reviews for my books. Not out of arrogance, but self-defense.) Thankfully my wife, who is awesome, helped me come to terms with the fact that my friends were trying to help me become a better writer. On the other side of things, my fellow writers learned how to temper their criticisms with just enough praise to make them easier to take. Which in turn has helped me learn to accept both positive feedback, and constructive criticism, because both are necessary.
The best way I can illustrate this is through one of my older works that I took a look at the other day. started it back in 2013, and didn't really do much with it. It's a YA fantasy novel. And it's terrible. Not the story, but rather the execution. Simple, basic errors that, at the time, I didn't even realize I was making. Now, after having been part of a writer's group and received necessary feedback of my work, I can see these errors clearly. Hopefully, I'll be able to one day go back and give that particular story another go.
The point of all this is, in order to improve as a writer you have to find people that can give you good, and often necessary feedback. All of us need it. We need someone to point out things that we miss because we know what's supposed to happen, so our minds tend to fill in the gaps for us.
That's all for this week. Don't forget Hero Unit: Power is now available for pre-order on kindle.
I'll be releasing the print version the same day, provided all goes well...
The issue is, I tend to want to reject both forms of feedback. I reject positive feedback because I don't think I deserve it. And oddly enough the same can be said for constructive criticisms. It doesn't make a lot of sense, but there it is. Luckily I've found ways to overcome my own personal failings.
First, I formed a writer's group. There are only three of us, but we all have varied enough experiences, and writing styles that it works. My fellow group members aren't published, yet, but they are both excellent writers and when their books are finished I'll be sure to post about them. Anyway what having a writer's group has done for me is it has exposed my work to more feedback.
It was not easy at first. Part of the problem is I have issues with depression. I was on medication for a while, until my life stabilized. For the most part it's under control, but when people are critical of my writing it tends to rear it's ugly head. (This is why I will never read reviews for my books. Not out of arrogance, but self-defense.) Thankfully my wife, who is awesome, helped me come to terms with the fact that my friends were trying to help me become a better writer. On the other side of things, my fellow writers learned how to temper their criticisms with just enough praise to make them easier to take. Which in turn has helped me learn to accept both positive feedback, and constructive criticism, because both are necessary.
The best way I can illustrate this is through one of my older works that I took a look at the other day. started it back in 2013, and didn't really do much with it. It's a YA fantasy novel. And it's terrible. Not the story, but rather the execution. Simple, basic errors that, at the time, I didn't even realize I was making. Now, after having been part of a writer's group and received necessary feedback of my work, I can see these errors clearly. Hopefully, I'll be able to one day go back and give that particular story another go.
The point of all this is, in order to improve as a writer you have to find people that can give you good, and often necessary feedback. All of us need it. We need someone to point out things that we miss because we know what's supposed to happen, so our minds tend to fill in the gaps for us.
That's all for this week. Don't forget Hero Unit: Power is now available for pre-order on kindle.
I'll be releasing the print version the same day, provided all goes well...
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