CRITIQUE & REVIEWS: NOT ALL FEEDBACK IS VALID
Hej Writer, do you know that not all feedback is valid? I can’t stress this enough, so I’ll say it again: Not all feedback is valid!
We’re often told that feedback is the key to growth, but what happens when it pulls us in all directions? Criticism can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes from people who may not truly understand our work. So, how do we separate helpful critique from the noise? I think that’s an area where we need to sharpen our instincts.
I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: People love to dish out criticism for all sorts of reasons, whether they know what they’re talking about or not. As a writer, it’s vital to know when to pay attention to the feedback you’re getting and when to let it go.
If you take every opinion to heart, you’ll end up writing to please rather than to tell your story. That way madness lies. The minute you start writing what you think people want to hear, you risk losing what makes your voice uniquely yours – your writer’s soul. And for what? The people who complained to begin with may never be happy with what you write, no matter how much you change to please them.
Who’s the Critic?
If you’re getting negative feedback that hurts or annoys you, the first thing to consider is who your critic is. Do they have the right or authority to criticise you? Not everyone does.
I must admit, I’m pretty squarely in the, “If you’re not paying my bills, you don’t get a say” camp when it comes to criticism. People are entitled to their opinions, of course they are, but that doesn’t make them the CEOs of my life. Now, the bill-paying statement is a bit flippant – I’m a pirate, okay, it comes with the territory – but it’s relevant.
As a writer, the people outside my inner circle whose opinions matter to me have either paid for my books or services, or been asked to provide feedback. On top of that, I’m always interested to hear what people with relevant qualifications and/or experience have to say. These are the people whose feedback is most likely to be of value to me.
Now, I’m not saying it’s impossible for someone to offer valuable feedback even if they don’t fit into one of these categories. It’s always worth listening to people who tell you how your work made them feel, especially when it’s done in a thoughtful manner.
On the flip side, even a bona fide critic with all the right credentials isn’t always right. For example, many well-respected literary critics don’t “get” fantasy or romance – two of the most popular genres. They might tear a novel to shreds simply because they don’t like the genre or misunderstand its conventions. Does that mean the book is terrible? No, it doesn’t. It just means this critic wasn’t the right audience for that particular piece of work, and that makes their opinion useless to us. It may be valid to other readers, but we don’t need to waste our time on it.
Feedback from family and friends can be tricky. Most of them love and support you whatever you do, which means that they’re biased. Chances are you could write the worst piece of rubbish this world has ever seen and they would still tell you it’s perfect. It’s wonderfully sweet of them, but as far as feedback goes it’s utterly useless. This is why it’s so important to consider the source before we let the feedback get to us.
What’s the Problem?
If we have decided that the critic is someone we should listen to, the next step is to figure out exactly what it is they’re criticising us for and how they’re doing it.
Here’s a tip: Go to Amazon, Kobo, Smashwords, or wherever you normally buy your books and check the reviews both of titles you loved and titles you didn’t like. Read a few one and five star reviews of each book and you’ll see how wildly different some opinions are to yours. And while you’re at it – see if you can spot any reviews that are completely irrelevant.
Some people will say the story is too long or too short. The language is too flowery or too plain. The main characters didn’t have the right traits or they made the wrong decisions. These are all subjective opinions. They may be useful to some readers, but they have very little to offer you.
So what can we learn from this when it comes to our own books? Well, if they’re unhappy with the characters, ignore them. If your worldbuilding wasn’t to their liking, ignore them. Are they ungappy about the presence, absence, or intensity of spice? Ignore them. Again, you cannot cater to every reader’s personal preferences.
Is the critic being rude or threatening? Ignore them. (Unless they turn into full-blown trolls, but we’ll deal with that issue in another post.) Are they humiliating or berating you? Telling you that you suck? Ignore them. People like this are often hurting in some way, or they’re just envious. If you have it in you, leave them a kind response and move on. Just remember that you don’t owe them anything.
What you do need to pay attention to is critique that points out real issues. This could be things like spelling and grammar mistakes, factual errors, plot holes, or misrepresentations. It could also be other quality issues like misprints, or requests that you may want to consider. These are the kind of things that can help make your work stronger and help you level up as a writer.
Why Do You React This Way?
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that most creative people are extremely sensitive to criticism. It’s natural. We pour our hearts into our work, so when someone criticises it, or us for writing it, it feels like a personal attack.
Here’s what I want you to remember. Whatever you feel when you receive any kind of feedback – positive or negative – is okay and valid. However, the fact that you feel a certain way about something does not necessarily mean that your response is. Your feelings may trigger your rapid response mechanisms and make you act in ways that don’t serve you or your brand. Don’t fall into that trap.
When it comes to positive reviews, you can always respond with a quick thank you. (Mind you, there’s no requirement here, and many younger readers get really upset when authors stick their noses in reader spaces.) If you do want to respond to nice comments, consider saving some of your “thank yous” in a file so you can copy and paste them when needed. It saves time and keeps things professional.
Negative reviews put us on the defensive and many writers feel like they have to explain themselves. This is almost always a terrible idea. Far too many writers waste time fighting battles about things that really don’t matter, and it just makes them look bad. Don’t go fighting windmills.
Having said that, there will be times when responding to criticism may be necessary. This could be for professional reasons or to maintain important relationships. If you do decide to respond, please do yourself a favour and take your time. Give it an hour, a day, or even a week. You’re not on the clock, and the world will not come to an end just because you didn’t respond to a message the minute you saw it.
Not all feedback is valid, but the more you practice, the better you’ll get at distinguishing between what really matters and what you should ignore. Hope that helps!
Now, before I go…
Questions of the Day
- How do you decide which feedback to take seriously and which to ignore? Any strategies you’ve found helpful?
- What’s the worst piece of writing advice or critique you’ve ever received, and how did you handle it?
Let’s talk in the comments below, or email me at news@aswewrite.com.
With that, I’d like to thank you for stopping by the old ship today! I hope you found our little talk useful, and look forward to seeing you at the next one.
Tack & hej,
//Linn 🤍