Accepting Feedback

The problem K J Matthews had for decades was that she didn’t want people to hate what she wrote. Fear of failure is a powerful friend. It hides out in your brain and tells you it’s easier to write for yourself; you like what you write. The first blurb K J Matthews produced was truly horrific. But she put it up on Facebook for feedback in a writer’s group designed for just that. They weren’t nice.

But they weren’t wrong, and nor were they rude. The writers were blunt.

After she got angry, she sat and thought about what the people said. And then she thanked every one of them from her heart because their blunt feedback was right, as harsh as it was to hear it. If she’d paid no attention to that feedback, then she would have published a book no one would buy, or worse, she’d receive multiple one-star reviews.

You can get feedback from various sources, such as your local writer’s group or on social media. Think about what the feedback is, and then let the comments sit for several hours, days or weeks and look at them with fresh eyes. Is the feedback valid? If yes, act. If not, is there anything you need to consider? Thank the people for the feedback, and move on.

Not everyone will like your published book. Get used to it now.

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