Photo by Markus Winkler
As writers, we rely on constructive feedback to help us create result-driven content. But while you think you have a knack for giving useful commentary, you might not realise your well-intentioned insights might deflate us.
Criticism must be handled with the utmost care.
Whether you’re a beta reader, critique partner, editor, business owner or anywhere in between, this article will help you give impactful feedback to writers (and maybe even yourself).
Contents:
→ Approach with empathy
→ Be specific about the negatives
→ Ditch the compliment sandwich
→ Collaboration is key
→ Remember it's a work-in-progress
→ How to share your feedback
→ What to give feedback on
→ Be specific about the negatives
→ Ditch the compliment sandwich
→ Collaboration is key
→ Remember it's a work-in-progress
→ How to share your feedback
→ What to give feedback on
Photo by Lesly Juarez
Approach with empathy
You might be eager to point out every error, but it’s essential to approach with empathy when offering feedback to writers. Recognise the effort we invest in the article and acknowledge the vulnerability of sharing our writings with others.
Be mindful.
Start with a positive tone, showing genuine appreciation for our work and easing into areas that need improvement. Sweeping remarks like “I don’t like this paragraph” with minimal direction on how to revise are disheartening at best.
Example:
I loved the structure and sense of urgency of this piece a lot. Thank you for this well-planned article. I suggest we add a sentence or two at the end of the last section to create a more impactful conclusion. Let me know if you need to brainstorm some ideas together.
Photo by Suhas Hanjar
Be specific about the negatives
Writers always encounter areas of improvement and our willingness to adapt makes this a rewarding journey. But, writers can’t enhance their craft with generalised or vague feedback.
You’ll need to pinpoint specific areas that need improvement if you want valuable content. Whether it’s the introduction, structure, or writing style, give as much detail as you can to make feedback effective.
Example:
While the structure of your article is great, consider interspersing the content with shorter sentences to create a sense of urgency and add some power words to urge readers to take action.
Photo by Pablo García Saldaña
Ditch the compliment sandwich
A compliment sandwich is an ineffective approach to giving feedback. This looks like praising before and after criticism to hopefully soften the blow.
Nobody wants to eat your compliment sandwich. In fact, such feedback just leaves most of us confused. Personally, this approach doesn’t actually make me more receptive to criticism. The problem is that the positive feedback overshadows the negative feedback.
Rather give us direct and honest feedback with an uplifting tone.
Example:
You’ve incorporated our brand voice well and we appreciate the overall conciseness but we’d still like the article to fully immerse our readers. Let’s brainstorm some descriptive language. I added an example in the document of what exactly we’re looking for in a specific scenario. Let me know your thoughts.
Photo by Joe Chau
Collaboration is key
Giving feedback is a collaborative effort and creating content that resonates requires a proactive approach.
Get involved with your writer’s creative choices and ask questions to understand their intentions better. Offer suggestions but still respect your writer’s expertise and writing style. When you engage in a dialogue with the writer, you naturally encourage them to express their thought process.
Example:
The open-ended conclusion is a great way to leave readers pondering. Great work on that. Do you think a subtle hint earlier in the piece could enhance the impact of the ending? I feel like it could reinforce the wider theme beautifully.
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Remember it's a work-in-progress
The 1st draft is exactly that—the 1st draft. When you receive it without imposing a rigid vision of the end result and the writer’s creative process, you hold space for growth. I can’t speak on behalf of all creative people, but I always appreciate some flexibility and a healthy exchange of ideas.
Recognise that a writer’s work evolves while we explore our potential and unique voice with your content goals in mind. Remember, there’s an actual human behind the work.
Well, that’s if the human writer isn't embracing AI.
Everyone experiences good and bad life happenings that may impact our work. And that’s why, dear reader, a culture of kindness is a total game-changer that brings a more positive and inclusive work atmosphere. It also enhances a person’s well-being.
Example:
I appreciate the narrative you were going for in the 1st draft. But, I noticed a slight gap in the introduction paragraph that might confuse readers. Perhaps consider rewording or including a statistic to bridge the two sentences at the beginning. This could potentially strengthen your argument. Let me know if you’d like to see a recent report with industry stats.
Photo by Belinda Fewings
How to share your feedback
It’s absolutely crucial to consider the best approach for giving feedback.
No two people are alike.
Consider choosing a method that aligns with your writer’s preference. That includes being mindful of disabilities. Or hire a writer who is able to adapt to your preferred feedback approach.
For instance, I appreciate clear and thorough written feedback because I struggle to remember verbal directions. I also find it difficult to understand what people are saying in noisy or echoing environments. I like to revisit clear, written feedback while working on requested adjustments.
Many people don’t feel comfortable sharing their weaknesses, especially in a professional setting, and therefore asking how to share feedback makes the most sense.
Example:
Do you prefer written or verbal feedback? Please let me know what will work best for you. My goal is to give feedback in the most helpful way.
Photo by Stefan Cosma
What to give feedback on
While grammar and style help the reader’s comprehension, focusing on surface-level errors minimises the importance of the overall theme. Prioritising feedback that gets the message across to your readers serves a much bigger purpose.
Example:
As you revise the content, consider showing our readers in the introduction that you understand their struggle and then highlight how the article can help solve the problem. Our goal is to keep our readers engaged in our content for longer.
Takeaway
Acquiring a collaborative mindset is the key to giving effective feedback to writers. This is a joint effort to nurture a writer’s skills, inspire growth and get the results you want. Remember, writers are on a continuous journey of refinement to deliver valuable content and your feedback plays a crucial role in shaping the end result.
If this article resonated, you might also like to master the art of creating a content brief.
