Responding to Feedback/Criticism

by Clare Langley-Hawthorne

We have done a number of first-page critiques in recent weeks and I thought it might be a good time to think about how writers should respond to feedback and/or criticism. I think I speak for many when I say that dealing with criticism is one of the hardest things you have to do as a writer, especially when you get a myriad of comments, some of which are contradictory! 


Even some of our recent critiques show that feedback can be a very subjective thing - what might be a really compelling first page for one person may be a complete let down for another...so how should writers handle criticism?


I think first and foremost, you need to take note of consistent feedback about a particular aspect of your writing. With many of our first page critiques there was a commonality of responses - often that the page involved too much 'telling' and not enough 'showing', or that it failed to have sufficient dramatic weight to tug a reader into the story. This kind of consistent feedback is useful stuff and, though sometimes a writer has to suck it up, it's worth listening to. 


It becomes more problematic when there are contradictory comments, especially if the feedback is 'this really worked for me' versus 'this didn't work at all for me'. Such contrasting responses are harder to deal with - not merely because you can never satisfy everyone (if you did it would be way too dull a world!).  


Here is my rule of thumb: If it speaks to me as a valid criticism (deep inside, once I get past pride and ego...), then I take it on board. If not, I seek additional validation from others that I trust, to see if they agree that the criticism has merit. Many times, especially in a writing class, some criticism is more about the  reviewer's own issues that the work itself.


As a writer you have to get used to all forms of criticism, because you'll get it from fellow writers, readers, agents, editors and reviewers.  How you respond can be indicative of how seriously you take your art. Here at TKZ, I have been very impressed by how the people who have fessed up to their submissions have taken the critiques and comments provided. Everyone has behaved professionally and has been gracious and respectful of the feedback offered. Thankfully, we have seen for the most part only insightful and helpful commentary...but for many of us, there will come a time when it won't be, and we will have to work out how to respond (or if to respond at all, as sometimes it is better to remain silent!). It could be the crazed one-star Amazon reviewer, or the snarky anonymous commentator...or it could even be a scathing review in a prestigious book review (we can dream, can't we!)


So, how have you all found the first page critiques so far? Are they helpful in a wider sense or limited to the author who submitted them?


Have you ever had a really wrenching 'criticism' moment  - and, if so, how did you deal with it? Were you tempted to get into an all out flame war with someone who dissed your work or did you just take a deep breath and hoped to disappear into the floor?