8.1.3 Reflect on the feedback
Figure 3
Now it's time to engage some feedback from earlier. You will need to reflect on what has been said before you decide how to act on it. It’s crucial not to act too quickly.
Activity 8.3: Reflecting on feedback
Review the comments on your own work and ask these questions:
- Has more than one person made the same point about an aspect of the writing?
- Has anyone said something about it that has surprised you?
- Is there something you thought worked well that someone else has found less successful?
- Is there anything that people think worked better than you did?
- How did the editorial comments compare to your own earlier reflection on the story – the one you wrote in Being your own critic?
Reflect on these comments and decide what you agree with and what you are not sure about. You may need to reflect over several hours, or even days. Do any of the comments help you to think about how you could change the writing for the better?
Try to resist the inevitable urge to defend what you’ve written, and be open to others’ suggestions.
Remember: the point of exchanging feedback on work, and discussing work with fellow writers, is to help you to think about how to improve your writing.