feedback

Is it Time to Hire a Book Coach?

If you’ve been following along in this space, hopefully you’ve found some tips to help with your writing project. You may even have purchased the Revision Road Map, the self-paced mini-course to help you triage and organize your revision. But what if you find yourself still struggling with your story? Something is not working, you justContinue reading “Is it Time to Hire a Book Coach?”

A Book Coach is a Light Switch: You Don’t Have to Write in the Dark!

What is it like to work with a book coach on your project? Let’s take a look at some feedback I received from a writer I worked with to get the real feel. “First, the whole process was very professional and thoughtful. Then there was the feedback. It was organized in a way that wasContinue reading “A Book Coach is a Light Switch: You Don’t Have to Write in the Dark!”

When Receiving Feedback Be Curious, Not Judgmental

Receiving feedback is often just as hard as a rejection. We send off our work to a friend, critique partner, beta reader, editor, and while we do these things for the constructive feedback these readers can impart, there is a large part of ourselves hoping for a gold star. “I found nothing wrong, it’s perfect!Continue reading “When Receiving Feedback Be Curious, Not Judgmental”

The Beauty of Beta Readers: When and How to Use Them

This week I posted a note on my Substack about when NOT to use beta readers. And I’ve had lots of conversations about it since. I’m glad that it was helpful. But I want to make sure writers aren’t scared off of beta readers. Beta readers have an important role in the writing and revisionContinue reading “The Beauty of Beta Readers: When and How to Use Them”

The Question Most Writers Ask Me As a Book Coach

When I first chat with a prospective writer, I will ask a series of questions to get a feel for where they are in the process, what they hope to get out of the coaching relationship, and what experience they have with giving and receiving feedback. This conversation allows us to get to know eachContinue reading “The Question Most Writers Ask Me As a Book Coach”

These Are the Writers I Won’t Work With

I love helping writers. Well, most of them. I learned the hard way that not all writers are created equal. And I don’t mean talent. I mean mindset. I had a client once who won a 20-page critique in a giveaway I did for an organization close to my heart. This client came to meContinue reading “These Are the Writers I Won’t Work With”

When Receiving Feedback Be Curious, Not Judgmental

Using a Growth Mindset to Make the Most of Feedback on Your Writing

In the second grade, I got a perfect score on my greater than and less than test. A perfect zero. I had mixed up the way the alligator was supposed to open his mouth. In true writer fashion, I’d created a narrative to help me remember and, according to my reasoning, the alligator ATE theContinue reading “Using a Growth Mindset to Make the Most of Feedback on Your Writing”

Good vs. Bad Writing Feedback

There are two kinds of feedback: useful feedback that helps you grow as a writer and strengthens your work OR bad feedback that is impossible to satisfy and doesn’t teach you anything. Bad feedback is: Some examples of bad feedback: “I don’t know why, but I don’t like it.” “The voice needs to be stronger.”Continue reading “Good vs. Bad Writing Feedback”

Feedback: Where Writers Can Find It

Whether you are new to the writing game or have been doing this for sometime, finding valuable feedback on your work is a necessity. The most common question I hear from writers is where to find it. Let’s take a quick look at the types of feedback available to you first. Critique Partners or AlphaContinue reading “Feedback: Where Writers Can Find It”