{"id":1845,"date":"2017-09-19T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-09-19T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comic-con.org\/toucan\/?p=1845"},"modified":"2023-12-20T15:02:16","modified_gmt":"2023-12-20T23:02:16","slug":"devourer-of-words-049-feedback-loop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comic-con.org\/toucan\/devourer-of-words-049-feedback-loop\/","title":{"rendered":"Devourer of Words 049: Feedback Loop"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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MARC BERNARDIN’S DEVOURER OF WORDS<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Devourer of Words 049: Feedback Loop<\/h1>\n\n\n
Marc Bernardin<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Toucan<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Marc<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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We are, all of us, working in mass media\u2014meaning that the writing we do is meant to be shown to an audience. Even though we are always the first readers for our work, the plan is to not be the last readers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feedback is important, especially early on. What works in our heads\u2014and in our first drafts\u2014might not work for people not as intimately familiar with what we\u2019re after. And just as we need to get that feedback from people, we also need to give it. (We\u2019re a community\u2014and we have to look out for each other.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, here\u2019s a look at what I\u2019m personally looking for in feedback and what I hope to offer when I give it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GETTING FEEDBACK<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
1. Pick Your Readers Well<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Look for a plurality of opinions. Don\u2019t just choose people who love you, don\u2019t just choose people who love the subject matter\u2014what you need are people who will come at the work from different places and perspectives, and then you can see where they agree or don\u2019t. Pick people you trust and can trust to tell you the truth. You don\u2019t need lies here and you don\u2019t need kindness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Ask for What You Want<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

A friend of mine used to say, \u201cDo you want me to tell you you\u2019re brilliant or do you want me to tell you what\u2019s broken?\u201d Because honestly, both are valuable. Writing is a solitary leap of faith; sometimes you really do need a little ego salve and have someone to tell you you\u2019re not crazy. Personally, almost every time I finish something new, I\u2019m never sure if I\u2019ve entirely forgotten how to write. We all suffer from impostor syndrome, to one degree or another, so to have someone tell you that you weren\u2019t crazy to write THIS can be helpful. But in order to make the work better, you need to have someone tell you were you can improve. My advice: Turn to different people for both things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Don\u2019t Argue<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

You might find the temptation to disagree with the notes. Fight that urge. Listen and absorb. If you\u2019ve chosen your readers well, and even if you don\u2019t necessarily agree with the notes, there\u2019s always a reason for the note. Sometimes, they\u2019re symptoms of a larger disease. Remember: You don\u2019t have to make every suggested change. Take what you think will make it better, leave what you think will make it worse. Until someone pays you, it\u2019s all yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Don\u2019t Take It Personally<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Again, if you\u2019ve chosen your readers well, you know that they\u2019re trying to make you and your work read as well as it can. Don\u2019t get angry at them for doing what you asked them to do. Just get ready to buckle in and get back to work. Writing is rewriting \u2014 and now you\u2019ve got a roadmap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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GIVING FEEDBACK<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
1. Be Honest<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t be brutal. If someone has asked you for your thoughts, they don\u2019t want or need to be beat up about what doesn\u2019t work. Don\u2019t be mean, but don\u2019t lie, either. That\u2019s a kindness that won\u2019t be repaid by editors, executives, or the buying public. Be like a doctor: First, do no harm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. <\/strong>Pick Your Shots<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

A different friend told me once that people can only really absorb three pieces of criticism, after which, they begin to emotionally shut down. So choose those three pieces well\u2014make sure that they target the most crucial areas that need improvement. (And add a little sugar before the medicine\u2014everything goes down easier with a little sugar.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Don\u2019t Do Their Work for Them<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

You might see the perfect solution to one of the problems plaguing the script. Offer suggestions, potential fixes, but never offer to rewrite. Give a writer a fix, they\u2019ll eat today, teach a writer to fix for themselves \u2026 you get the tortured analogy. Sometimes, a writer just needs a nudge in the right direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Marc Bernardin’s Devourer of Words appears the third Tuesday of every month here on <\/em>Toucan!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Written by<\/p>\n\n\n

Marc Bernardin<\/div>\n\n\n

Published<\/p>\n\n\n