The full roadmap from your fav English teacher

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I suppose we should get this part out of the way first. The more tenderhearted among us will always think you’re a dick, even when they’ve asked for your honest feedback. Even when you’re being helpful and kind, and not at all using “just being honest” as a weapon.

After giving feedback on hundreds and hunnnnnnndreds of pieces of fiction, there are some strategies that help more than others. Hopefully, you’re working with someone who’s given you some guidelines for what they want. And if they haven’t, send them here and you’ll save yourselves a whole lotta heartache.

Now, if they’ve given you a document with guidelines, good. And one more time for the folks in the back – If they haven’t send them here. For the love of God, do not pass Go. Do not collect $200 until they’ve done it. Now that that’s settled…

Copy Their List of Questions

And paste them at the end of their draft. DO NOT read them before you read their work. Didn’t I just tell you to make them fill out this document so you’d know what you were up against before you started? Yes, I sure did. But here’s why pasting their questions into the end of their document works in everyone’s favor, and makes you a more honest reviewer.

  • We’re biased bitches. The moment we know the writer’s concern, we start looking for ways for the work to make sense, because we’ve just been told us it’s supposed to make sense, or they’re trying like hell to make it make sense.
    • Even when it’s worded like – I tried to differentiate the men in the train car by giving one a mustache and the other a midwestern accent. Was it enough?
    • So instead of just reading it and allowing yourself to be honestly confused or not, you end up scrutinizing the scene as you go, looking for evidence and theorizing if it’s working or not. That’s not honest feedback. It’s a crime scene investigation.
  • Sometimes a question is – Does my plot twist work, where the woman tries robbing the ticket agent and he ends up robbing her instead?
    • Shit. A great plot twist is supposed to take you unawares. Only now you’re 100% aware of what’s coming and you’re suddenly back to theorizing if it worked.

In Text Notes

These aren’t line edits, but places where you’ll make a comment because you loved something, were confused, have a question, or want to remark on the work. Please, if you loved a part, say so. Writers will sometimes edit out the best parts because they didn’t know they were working. Feedback isn’t reduced to only telling the writer what’s giving you heartburn.

Here are actual notes I gave to a student on her short story during lockdown. Let’s go through them.

In her work, I highlighted particular lines of text and each comment corresponds to those lines. Instead of being vague with your writer, show them in the moment what you’re talking about by flagging the text. Here’s what works in these comments.

  • Providing context
    • I had to read this a few times.
    • I’m super invested and want to know more.
    • I’d like to know X right here because I think that would help me, as the reader, understand Y better.
  • Start every comment with something positive or reassuring. Taking the rest of the feedback is so much easier and it increases camaraderie.
    • I love this element because it gives an “everything is rotting vibe.”
    • “I have a habit of doing this too.”

In this case, I was the prof. So adding suggestions on how she might go about revising the work made sense. We were learning craft techniques in class. So here, you’ll see me say things like, “This is a great place to compare/contrast…”

BUT, I also add things like, “How would you feel about chopping this line?” Because at the end of the day, it’s not my story. The best written feedback asks questions of the writer instead of giving directives or getting prescriptive.

End Notes

First, answer their list of questions that you’ve copied and pasted here. Use the same tactics as the in-text notes if you need to.

After that, it’s a great idea to write a few paragraphs for the author. This is where you can explain your overall take and add comments about theme or elements of the story that unfolded over time and wouldn’t make sense line for line. These are the section headers I always use and that tend to give writers truly useful info.

  • This is what I read
    • Give a short summary of the story. This is the most direct way for the writer to understand what stood out to you, what you think their story is really about, and how the work was perceived overall. It’s massively illuminating.
    • Plus it’s great practice for writing your own synopsis.
  • Here’s what worked
    • This is pretty straightforward. You load the hell out of this with praise. And if you can’t find something to praise, you’re not reading hard enough. There’s always something good. Pacing, structure, word choice, the character’s epic neon green hair. Pan for gold in sewage if you have to, but find the nugget and put it on display.
  • Here’s where I struggled
    • Never: Here’s what’s completely fucked up about your story.
    • Always: Point to your struggle as the reader. This is the paragraph where you give overarching context around the places didn’t make sense for you. Where you might not have fully bought a character’s motivation, the underlying power dynamics, or a plot point.
  • Suggestions if you want them
    • And that’s exactly what you name that section. Do. Not. Deviate.
    • The first sentence is always something along the lines of – In case you’re stumped on how to rework the plot point/unbelievable power dynamics/character motivation/etc… I WONDER IF YOU MIGHT TRY…
      • Never: DO X to dig yourself out of this godforsaken hole you’ve dug yourself into.
      • Always: Have you thought about? OR, you know how in (Insert a book they know) character so-in-so did (the big plot point), I wonder if using a similar strategy might make your character’s motivation clearer BECAUSE…
        • Then you tell them why you think this suggestion might be something worth considering. And if you can’t tell them why it’s worth considering, then take it as a sign that it’s probably not.

I hope that helps you navigate the next time you’re asked to read someone’s work, and gives you a roadmap for giving written feedback that will actually help your fellow writer. All without being a jerk in the process.

 

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