Rules for Feedback

Submitting writing for others to read is personal and vulnerable. It is important that people feel comfortable sharing and that there is some structure to our feedback sessions. We loosely follow the Milford Style Workshopping model (https://cascadewriters.org/milford-style-workshopping/), though we are not nearly as formal.

  • The group facilitator starts the feedback rounds for each submission. This is done to set the tone and break the ice.
  • Feedback should generally be supportive and constructive. This doesn’t mean you must be toxically positive, only that you should be respectful. The group includes writers of all levels, who are encouraged to play and experiment. No one is presenting a masterpiece every week — the point is to write and be creative, for better or for worse! The group is here to help, not discourage.
  • Members of the group often have friendly disagreements about the correct way to write, or what you can and cannot do on the page, but that is pretty subjective. Suggestions are welcome, but do not try to enforce your rules of choice upon another writer. Also note that your interpretation of a piece is valid and welcome, but it may not be a universal takeaway.
  • We generally do not get into grammatical specifics. This is not an editing and revision group — you can clean things up later. There is not enough time in the meeting to get into line edits, and technical errors will probably be caught in later drafts and revisions. If you really need to say something, try summarizing your editorial urge with a simple comment — for example, “watch your shifting tenses.”
  • Taking notes while you read submissions is normal and encouraged. Members often refer to their notes while giving critique.
  • Don’t be afraid to reiterate feedback specifics that have already been mentioned — an author usually appreciates knowing that a certain aspect of their piece resonated with multiple people. For example, “I really liked that too” and “I also found that successful” are much more productive comments to offer than “Everything I was going to say has already been said.”
  • Don’t argue with someone’s critique of your work. Feedback is just an opinion, and you’re entitled to privately disagree with someone else’s suggestions and choose to ignore their response to your writing. Not all feedback is good feedback — just because one person doesn’t like something doesn’t mean you need to revise (though it should be noted that if the majority of readers are offering the same comment, it’s likely that they’re right). If you don’t agree with someone’s feedback, simply thank them and move on.

Shaping Good Feedback

Just saying “I like it” gives the writer very little to work with — consider why you liked it. Consider:

  • what the piece is about
  • whether the content succeeds in the format the author has chosen
  • what is working in the piece (ex. style, POV, tense, dialogue, setting)
  • what isn’t working
  • what might work better (though be careful not to try and “fix” another writer’s piece — don’t rewrite someone else’s story)

Feedback Requests

When submitting, please think about the feedback you’re looking for, especially for pieces that aren’t based on the weekly prompts. For example:

  • “In this scene I was aiming to [XYZ], and I’m curious if that is clear.”
  • “I’d like to bounce [idea] off the group.”
  • “I’m working with [trope] and I’d like opinions.”

We can be of more use to each other if critique is slightly structured. Many members have started including a few questions for readers within their submissions and that always results in constructive discussion.

Giving and taking criticism is a difficult, but necessary part of writing. One of the primary benefits of being part of a writing group is that you’ll get honest feedback – it’s usually valuable and will make you a better writer.

Sources:
Giving And Taking Feedback On Writing
Milford Style Workshopping Model