Tag: asking for feedback

The Self-Aware Writer – Self-Awareness vs Ego

Posted on by Ian Dawson

Last time, we discussed ways the self-aware writer can get feedback from others to help improve their manuscript.  Today, we’ll discuss how self-awareness can prevent ego and over-confidence from making themselves known.

Let’s get started.

Be Honest with Yourself, Not Delusional

We’ve seen it with politicians, celebrities, athletes, and rock stars.  They get so full of themselves, so arrogant, so cocky, so egotistical that they lose all sense of how they got to where they are and where they once were.  It’s a level of delusion that is dangerous and unhealthy and should be avoided at all costs.

It can be easy to feel some level of power and confidence when you write.  After all, you are creating new stories and worlds, birthing ideas and characters that others will experience and be entertained by.  Wielding this type of power can make some feel confident and cocky; it can boost their ego and cause them to think too highly of themselves.

DON’T BE THIS PERSON!

Yes, you’re a writer.  But even the best writers have the insight and self-awareness to know they have areas of their writing they need to work on, improve, and strengthen.  Being honest with yourself, taking a step back, and seeing what you can do better is humbling and keeps you grounded as a writer and human being.

This is why getting honest feedback on your work is so important.  Surrounding yourself with people who 100% agree with you 100% of the time and think your work is just great no matter what will not make you a better writer.  It will actually hurt your ability to become a better one.

The ego can create a delusional view of the world around you.  It can repel those who once supported you, crush your writing goals, and make you a person people want to avoid.  

Proud, Not Prideful

While it’s okay to be proud of what you’ve written, it’s foolish to think it’s the greatest written work in history.  Each manuscript and each story is a stepping stone for you to learn and improve as a writer.  Every author you love has to start from a certain point as a writer and grow over time.  If they had to do it, so do you.

Not every story will work.  Not every book will be embraced by readers.  That’s why keeping your ego in check and having the self-awareness needed to make the changes and creative leaps to become a better artist is important in the long run.

Next Time…

While ego may live on one side of the spectrum, the opposite can also cause detrimental harm to you as a writer.  We’ll have a look at self-awareness and self-criticism coming up.

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

The Self-Aware Writer – Self-Awareness & Feedback

Posted on by Ian Dawson

Last time, we talked about how self-awareness can help you edit your manuscript and get it to the best version possible.  Today, we’ll explore how to use self-awareness when receiving feedback from others on your work.

Let’s get started.

Feedback: Self-Aware, Not Self-Absorbed

Everyone needs feedback on their writing.  It doesn’t matter what it is; if you intend to publish it, you’ll want to take the time to have another person – or other people – read it and get their honest feedback about the work.

Being a self-aware writer is knowing that there are areas of the writing process that are your strengths.  Still, others are weaknesses that you need to improve upon.  Getting feedback from others can help you pinpoint these weak areas so you can improve them before you send the manuscript out to the next reader.

These initial readers should be people you know and trust who will be honest with you about any problems they find.  This is where being a self-aware writer comes in handy.  You want to make it clear to the reader that you want them to be truthful with you about anything they find that needs work.  You can’t make it better if all they do is shower you with false praise.

You’ve given them the manuscript for a reason, and you want to make sure that what you need from them is what you get.  

Feedback: Know What You Want

Two words: BE SPECIFIC.  “Let me know if you like it or not” is not a good way to get strong feedback.  Before you send your manuscript off to anyone, think of aspects you want them to focus on and look for.  This will ensure they stay engaged since you’ve given them a task related to the book.

Some questions you could pose to your reader include:

  • Is the main character’s story arc strong enough?  
  • Does the story keep them engaged?  
  • Is there any place during the story where the energy dies or the pacing slows?  
  • Were there any parts that were confusing or hard to understand?  
  • Did any of the subplots cause you to lose interest?  
  • Was the villain’s motivation strong enough?  
  • Did the conflict keep you invested?

Then, when you meet with them after they’re done, they have clear and specific answers that will help you improve the manuscript going forward.  

Feedback: Know What You Don’t Want

This is where picking the right people to read for you is key.  You should ask people who will actually READ the manuscript and provide you with the feedback you need.  There’s nothing more frustrating than asking someone to read your manuscript only to have them say they haven’t even started it a month after you sent it to them.

You also want to do all you can to get detailed information from your reader.  “It was good,” “I didn’t like it,” or “It wasn’t my type of book” are not helpful feedback statements.  This is why giving your readers clear direction can make a huge difference as you work to make changes and improvements to the next draft.

Next Time…

The feedback was good, and it allowed you to make changes to your manuscript that have made it even stronger than it was before.  You’re feeling confident…maybe even a little cocky about yourself as a writer.  But will that inflated ego hurt you in the long run?

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!