How to request constructive feedback on your novel manuscript

Obtaining feedback on your manuscript during the evaluation step of the writing process shouldn’t be the same experience as getting your mom’s proud stamp of approval on your published novel. The last thing any writer needs or wants at this stage of the writing process is for anyone to stroke your ego and tell you how awesome you are. During the evaluation stage, it’s important to seek out targeted feedback that will help you improve your writing.

While it may be nice to hear that you are doing a great job, it’s not particularly helpful when what you really want is constructive criticism. Here are some tips for getting productive feedback on your writing:

• Ask people who are familiar with your genre. If you’re writing a mystery, for example, ask people who enjoy reading mysteries to read your work.
• Ask people who are not familiar with your genre. This can be helpful to get a fresh perspective on your work.
• Ask people who are willing to be honest with you. You want feedback that will help you to improve your writing, so it’s important to ask people who are willing to be honest with you.
• Be open to feedback. It’s important to be open to feedback, even if you don’t agree with it. Feedback can help you to identify areas where your work can improve.
• Do not impose on people you barely know who have not offered their services to you of their own accord. I once had a student in a 100-level college English course drop a copy of their self-published novel on my desk after class and ask me if I could read it and give them feedback on it. This is akin to cold calling a stranger to ask if you can talk to them about their used car warranty. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

In general, your focus during the evaluation stage of the writing process is to determine the best strategies for making your manuscript better. You should be operating on the assumption that the work is far from finished. Anyone who tries to tell you it’s perfect should be suspect.

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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.