How to ask for feedback on the first draft of your novel

Obtaining outside feedback is an essential piece of the evaluation step of the novel writing process. A reader who has no previous experience with your novel can bring a fresh set of eyes and new perspective to your writing to help you close the gap between what you think you’ve put on the page and what you have actually put on the page. When asking others to review a draft of your novel, it is important to be specific about the type of feedback you are looking for.

Ultimately, clear communication with your reader helps streamline the feedback process, making it a more productive and valuable experience for improving your novel. Here are some examples of specific feedback that you can ask for:

• Overall impressions: What did the reader think of the novel as a whole? Did they enjoy it? Were they engaged?
• Character development: Did the reader find the characters believable and relatable? Did they care about what happened to them?
• Plot: Was the plot engaging and well-paced? Were there any plot holes or inconsistencies?
• Setting: Was the setting well-described? Did it feel real and immersive?
• Theme: Was the theme clear and well-developed? Did the reader find the theme meaningful?
• Writing style: Was the writing clear and concise? Was the prose engaging?

It is also helpful to ask the reader to provide specific examples to support their feedback. For example, if the reader says the plot was slow, they should provide specific examples of where the pacing felt slow. This will help you identify the specific areas of your novel that need improvement.

An additional element to keep in mind when requesting feedback on your novel draft: be respectful of your reader’s time. Even if you are paying a developmental editor for their time, it is important to remember that most people will not be able to drop everything on a moment’s notice to read your novel and provide feedback.

Here are some additional tips for getting constructive feedback on your novel draft:

• Give the reader enough time to read your novel. Don’t expect them to read it overnight.
• Be open to feedback. Even if you don’t agree with the feedback, it can still be helpful.
• Thank the reader for their feedback. Even if the feedback is not what you wanted to hear, it is still important to thank the reader for their time!

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Now that Jack has been forced to reflect on everything he has to lose, he resolves to do better. He’s determined to spend more time at home with his family and repair the relationships that have suffered over the years while he’s been so focused on work. But as Callie’s behavior becomes increasingly bizarre, Jack realizes he has a lot more room to improve than he realized – and it might be too late to save his daughter after all.

For fans of We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Push, and Baby Teeth.