Seek Input from Serious Writers and Readers Who Speak the Truth in Love
After writing regularly, the second most valuable thing I did was to get feedback on my writing. It was scary at first (and sometimes still is).
But to get feedback from our family or friends doesn’t count. They love us and will only tell us good stuff. Or even worse, they’ll say our writing is good when it isn’t.
Instead, get feedback from serious writers and readers. But don’t request feedback from someone who doesn’t write or read in your genre; they’re not qualified to give valuable input.
Ideas
Here are some ideas for getting feedback:
- Join a critique group, either online or in person.
- Work with another writer to provide feedback to each other.
- Hire an editor or mentor to help you hone your words.
Something that’s important to me when I give and get feedback is to “speak the truth in love.” I’ve worked with some editors who gave me good feedback, but their delivery was so caustic that it made me ill.
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Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is a full-time, career author. He’s published scores of books, hundreds of articles, and thousands of blog posts, with experience as a publisher, editor, and commercial freelance writer. A passionate wordsmith, his goal is to change the world one word at a time. Learn more at PeterLyleDeHaan.com.
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