Feedback vs Your Inner Critic

 

I recently got back in contact with an old friend of mine and it turns out that he is also a writer. Although, he may be slightly more advanced in this area than me (He is attending university for creative writing), it’s nice to talk to someone who knows the struggles.

Anyways, we got to talking and he offered to provide feedback for some of my work. So I sent off my latest short story ‘Running Scared’ that I had also sent to the writing competitions. As any new writer knows, feedback and criticism of your babies can be the scariest thing in the world. More so when you know the person doing the critiquing. The inner critic in you starts throwing their toys out of the pram, demanding to know what you were thinking, and aiming the odd rattle at your subconscious head. After dodging the air bound missiles, you sit waiting anxiously for the email inbox to ping *You Have Mail*.

After pacing backwards and forwards for a few moments and biting your nails into a bloody mess, you finally work up the courage to click open and you hold your breath for the first words that will inevitably be there *Your work is useless, please give up now before you inflict and more nonsense on the world*. All of this was part of my process.

Oddly enough, and to my great surprise, he was rather complimentary about my work. He did include some spelling and grammar issues I missed. And also some things that he felt would enhance the story. As a writer, well maybe just a new writer, you feel rather attached to your work and my initial reaction was ‘How very dare you, my story is perfect. There is absolutely nothing you could suggest that would make it any better.’ After, getting over myself very quickly, I realised that actually, he was right. In everything he said. And furthermore, it helped me open up the story and entice people in. Creating a world where they want to stay and find out what happened. It gave my story more substance and reality, which I strive for in my work.

I sat down and went through every single comment that he had left me and work through all of the things that needed to be addressed. Out of everything, I think I maybe disagreed with one comment, of which I did not include in the story. Call it a writer’s prerogative. After reading it all back, with the changes, I can honestly put my hands up and say that they were all for the better.

I have never actually had something properly critiqued before but after this, I’m inclined to maybe go and find a writing group. Surely my writing can only benefit from the advice and opinions of other writers. Of course, it is up to the writer whether they want to take the feedback on board but it can’t hurt to see what the readership would see from an outsiders view looking in.

What are your views on workshops, writing groups and showing your work to someone new for the first time?

I think I quite like it. Now I am off in search of a writing group!