

It’s a common phrase with a lot of power. At some point, writers want to know how their idea tracks. Does it wander around in a word forest, or float in alphabet soup? Does it keep you up at night, turning pages, knowing good and well, “Hank’s graduation is tomorrow morning”? Or did you look at it and think, “Nice.”

We have one-thousand-word days, participate in Word Sprints, and adopt a motto of “No Zero Days.” This is how serious we are.

Writing is the process of turning thoughts into literary work.

“Huh? What’s she going on about?”

Workshops, writer’s groups, meditation, and daily life all affect the manual labor of putting our thoughts—our ideas—into words. Into gemstones.

Planning, sacrifice, and dedication sort the rough drafts in our minds and put the words on paper, whether handwritten, computer-typed, or diligently smartphone-drafted.

Then we take a deep breath and ask the fateful question.

“Would you please give me some feedback?”

We ask friends, family—but preferably strangers—to give us their opinion of our precious stones. Clicking thumbs up, or down, says “I was here,” but did you read what’s written there? Feedback is a powerful tool—it can have mental and emotional impact.

I saw that eye roll.

“Yeah. Right. Sure you do—until someone doesn’t like what you’ve written.”

I can’t speak for all, but I can speak for some—that’s exactly what we want to hear. We need to be in the know. We’ve been looking at this damn thing for weeks, months, or even years, thinking it’s ready for the next step—sawing, grinding, sanding, and drilling it into shape for a publisher.

What we ask for—but don’t always get—is honest, actionable, constructive criticism to help us remove the dirt and debris from our rough gemstones.

Telling a writer what you think about their writing is crucial. “Yeah, it’s good.” “You’re wasting your time.” I might be, but can you give me more, please?

We need the ultimate feedback: How did our writing make you feel?

“What do I mean?”

Did you fall in love with or despise a character? How did you reach that decision? Did you feel like, “Oh shit, they’re in trouble now,” or did your eyelids droop as you asked yourself, “What the hell am I reading?”

We’re giving you the opportunity to affect our lives. Warm water, mild dish soap, and a soft brush—sometimes, that’s all it takes to tell someone the truth. And that truth comes from whatever emotion our gemstone made you feel.

_____________

### Excerpt

“So… what did you think?”

Silence.

“You read it, right?”

A slow nod.

“And?”

A shrug. “It was… nice.”

“Nice?” The word felt like a slap. “That’s it? That’s all you’ve got?”

A wince. “Uh—good job?”

“Okay, so you hated it.”

“I didn’t say that!”

“But did you feel anything?”

More silence.

And that, right there, was the problem.

Looking For Feedback