Back when I first started dispensing feedback on manuscripts, I painstakingly abided by the sandwich rule: polite, constructive feedback, polite. I went to great lengths to put a positive spin on even the shakiest stretch in a book.
Now? I’m direct. I don’t think of myself as harsh, and I don’t go out of my way to chop someone down or be unduly rude, but I try to be very transparent and clear with my feedback. If I’m frustrated in a stretch of a manuscript because I can’t figure out what’s happening, I show it.
This post will cover why my thinking around feedback has evolved, and why I’d recommend seeking editing that focuses on clarity rather than on sparing your feelings.
What’s the best way to help authors improve?
I’m very passionate about helping authors. I don’t think of myself as a naturally gifted writer, and any achievements I’ve made with my writing have largely been due to the good feedback I’ve gotten along the way. So as an editor, my only real goal is helping authors take their writing to the next level so they have the right tools to accomplish their vision.
Editing is a bit of a strange task. An editor is comparing someone’s book to the roster of stories they’ve internalized over the years and seeing where it might fall short, as well as intuiting what an author’s trying to do and where they’re stumbling on their own goals. I’m never telling someone how I would write their books (that would be supremely unhelpful), I’m trying to see what they are trying to do and help them get there.
I’ve worked with thousands of writers over the past twenty+ years, I’ve seen when squishy feedback becomes a problem. Manuscripts came back to me where the authors leaned into the “say something nice” part of my feedback, and I realized–with great chagrin–that I led them astray in my attempts to spare their feelings.
Now? When I say something positive or negative about a manuscript, I really, truly mean it. I’d rather someone think I’m a little harsh than say something just to spare feelings and give them a false impression of my true beliefs.
I genuinely believe the best feedback is clear and precise, unclouded by cotton balls and bubble wrap.
Authors need to deal with their own feelings
As an author myself, I’ve received unvarnished feedback that positively blew my hair back. Particularly early in my career, before I had any external validation for my writing, it was extremely bracing to receive. It’s easy to lose faith in your abilities, to doubt yourself, to let the feedback tap into your broader anxieties.
But it’s part of every author’s journey. Like anything, it gets easier through time. These days I can receive baldfaced feedback without my heart even stirring. I just want to get better, and any feedback is a gift.
A good editor will strike the right balance of being encouraging and unsparing. You both share a goal! You just want the book to improve. But it’s the author who must be ultimately responsible for whatever feelings the editing process stirs up.
Some of this stems from authors being in tune with what kind of feedback they really need at any given time. Unvarnished feedback isn’t helpful during all parts of a writing journey, and sometimes you do just need praise and encouragement without any constructive feedback! If that’s what you want, ask for that very clearly. It’s totally fine.
But particularly after you’ve completed a full draft, there comes a point when you should be seeking honest feedback. When you get it, I like to compare it to a radioactive substance that must be acclimated to through time. Do whatever you need to do to calm your nerves and look at things as objectively as possible.
Embrace responsibility for handling your own feelings. It’s your editor’s job to give you the clearest advice they possibly can. Then get to work using the feedback to make the book better.
Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!
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Art: Evening Landscape with Two Men by Caspar David Friedrich
“Blew my hair back”. Love that. When I used an editor to help me she returned my pages in what looked like the bloodiest carnage I have ever seen. Oh yea, and with a nice note attached saying “just a few thoughts.” When I could finally breath again, I made a copy of my work; implemented all of the notes and wow, it really was better. Now I write with my newfound knowledge and it saves so much time.
I totally agree with this. Maybe it was my Britishness that used harsh too liberally. I still feel bad about that. It was a case of me ‘writing before I think’, if such as a thing’s possible. There may have been other stressors at the time but that’s no excuse. My query’s been getting better feedback after your advice (of course), so thanks again.
I agree, having been subjected to Nathan’s direct comments (good and bad). I dealt with too many “sandwich” editing to know a new writer tends to stick with the “this works” over “this makes no sense”, never learning how to write a commercial fiction. I have to admit, Nathan’s straight editing taught me how to write (and tell) a good story.