improvement

Delivering—and Receiving—Negative Feedback in a Constructive Way

October 1, 2026 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

Constructive feedback (often seen in the writer’s head as negative feedback) is a hard pill to swallow. Nobody wants to be told the story they’ve devoted hours, months, even years toward isn’t perfect. On the other hand, most people don’t like telling someone their writing has problems. If you try too hard to spare someone’s feelings, you could be doing them a disservice, and yet if you completely crush their hopes and dreams, you may be denying others the chance to read a story that could have gone from okay to great based on your feedback. So what’s a reader to do? It’s all about the give and take. We spoke to some of the awesome editors here at Eschler Editing and compiled this list to help make your next critique session a little more successful.

How to Take Feedback

You’ve already made yourself vulnerable by putting your work out there for someone else to read. But what do you do when the shining praise you were hoping for comes back as a red-ink massacre? Getting negative feedback is never fun, but most of the time it’s the best way to take your writing to the next level. Here are five steps to help you take feedback like a pro:

Chocolate cake. No, seriously. Being told your baby isn’t good enough hurts. It’s okay to wallow in a little chocolate cake to help you get through that.
Okay, now that you’ve had your cake, it’s time to turn off your emotional brain and be a computer. Become Vulcan. Don’t assume that just because someone said something isn’t working they think you should never write again. Look at the advice in a logical manner.
Give yourself 10 percent veto rights. Plan on taking at least 90 percent of feedback constructively, but feel free to allow yourself 10 percent you get to hold strong to (see tip 5 for exclusions to this rule). You don’t have to change every single thing someone tells you to, but you are definitely too close to your story to not give feedback serious consideration.
Look at who’s giving you the feedback. Have you ever watched a cringe-worthy singer on a competition show proclaim they’ve been told how wonderful they are? They probably aren’t lying. If you have only ever gotten positive feedback and then someone comes forward and tells you your story has problems, your first inclination might be to dismiss that advice. But before you do, look to see where previous positive feedback has come from. If the only people who have read your story are your mom and best friend, you may have to consider that they might have been trying to spare your feelings or are just as close to your work as you are.
If you’ve hired an editor, communicate clearly what kind of editing service you’re expecting. Make sure they understand whether you want a copyedit or a developmental edit. Once you’ve been given feedback, decide if there is something to this advice. If you have paid a professional to edit your story, know that they are going to give you their best advice to fix it. They are not just looking for things to tear you down. Additionally, if you send your story out to a group of people and you get a comment more than once, that’s a good sign there really is a problem, and you need to accept it and be proactive in coming up with a solution.

How to Give Feedback

Now that you know how to take feedback like a pro, it’s time to practice giving it. If you’ve asked for feedback from another writer, they are most likely going to ask for yours. Here are our five best tips to make negative feedback a positive experience:

What are they looking for? Before you critique or edit a manuscript, ask the author what they hope to gain from your feedback. Maybe they have edited it to the ground and now all they care about are periods and commas. Maybe they want to find places where they can cut out words and not kill the story. Maybe they just want you to tell them what you liked. Knowing what they expect can be helpful as you begin to edit.
Think “sandwich.” No, this isn’t just here to counter the effects of the chocolate cake! It’s important to not only give them negative (although potentially useful) feedback. Instead, try to sandwich it between two positive comments. Always start with something positive that you see in their writing or story before you tell them what they need to fix, and then give them a positive benefit on why taking your advice will make their story stronger (i.e., I really like X character and his role in the story. I would love to see him come out of his shell and really stand up for himself against his boss. I can really see him becoming a memorable character with this sort of growth arc applied to him). You need to sell them on it.
Explain your editing style in a brief tutorial and how they can use it to strengthen their book. I edit like Orson Scott Card taught me by asking three questions: “Huh?” “Yeah, right!” and “So what?” (Huh?=I don’t understand what is going on, or I’m confused about what you are trying to say; Yeah, right!=I don’t believe this in the context of the world this book takes place in; So what?=I am unsure why this information is relevant to the story, or I’m losing interest in the story.) These are the things I look for when going through a manuscript, but if you only saw those things without any context, they might seem a little harsh. I always make sure my manuscript edits are accompanied by a style guide so the author can get into my frame of mind when reading the edits. Other editors may have a different style (such as color-coding, explanatory notes, or asking a lot of focused questions the author must address).
Don’t just tell them it’s wrong or doesn’t work. There’s a fine line here. If someone has asked or paid you to edit something, they probably don’t see the problems themselves and are hoping for feedback on how to fix things. Try to offer helpful suggestions when you can. However, you also don’t want to make their story yours. If you tell them exactly what they need to do to fix every little thing, in the end, who really wrote the story? I like to find a middle ground. Sometimes I expand on why things didn’t work and give possible solutions. Sometimes I just say this isn’t working for these reasons, and rather than offer solutions, I offer to brainstorm with the author; this allows them to ask questions and get my take on things they may agree with but are unsure how to fix.
Make sure they know when something is a personal opinion/preference versus an industry-accepted convention that will stop publishers or agents from picking the book up or that will be a turnoff to that genre’s readers. If they’re starting their first chapter with backstory, you can cite several articles on why this should not be done. If their main character uses the word “fetch” way too much, that’s opinion. It’s okay to have opinions, but you should always let the author know what may keep them from getting published versus what just really annoyed you (keeping in mind that if it annoys you, it might annoy another reader at some point).

Feedback is important. It’s how an author learns and grows. Even best-selling authors seek feedback to make their manuscripts stronger. They say you can’t edit your own story—and that’s absolutely true. Having another set of eyes (or five sets) is imperative to your writing. Don’t think of negative feedback as a sign you should quit but as a powerful tool that can help you become a more effective writer. Feedback is an asset for the person on the receiving end. If you remember to give feedback with kindness and sincerity and accept it without being defensive, you just may find your writing career reaching new heights.

Do This Now

Write down two or three ways you would like to hear constructive feedback so you can help your readers know what you’re looking for.
Decide you’re going to look at feedback as something meant to help, not harm.
Find some beta readers and editors whose opinions you trust.

We would like to thank Sabine Berlin, Sandra Larsen, and our friends at Ever Editing for allowing us to share this article with you. To read the other great articles they’ve written, click here.

Sabine Berlin

Editor

Sabine Berlin is an avid reader of everything from Asimov to Zusak. She has a degree in history, writes YA fiction, and was selected to attend Orson Scott Card’s Literary Bootcamp, where she studied writing and critiquing. She edits full-time for a local university and has worked with Eschler Editing since 2012. She invites you to visit her blog.

Sandra Larsen

Editor

Sandra Larsen is an intern at Eschler Editing. She graduated from UVU with a bachelor’s degree in English and has spent the last decade or so raising four lively children. Sandi is thrilled by the opportunity to join the Eschler Editing team. She has a passion for reading any book she can get her hands on and especially loves discussing books with others. She is learning a great deal about the editing and publishing world and is grateful for any and all experiences she will continue to have.

How to Approach Feedback on Your Writing

April 19, 2026 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

Receiving edits from an editor, beta reader, or even a friend can be both exciting and daunting. It’s natural to feel a mix of emotions: nervousness to see what your reviewer thought about your manuscript, eagerness to dive into revisions, or apprehension about the work ahead.

Feedback can come in multiple forms. If it’s feedback from a beta reader, it might be a few paragraphs long and gloss over a handful of portions of your manuscript. If it’s from a copyeditor, you might get a style sheet and an entire manuscript’s worth of punctuation and grammar corrections. If it’s from a developmental editor, you’ll likely receive an editorial letter and pages of notes. No matter what kind of feedback you get, the following tips will help you interpret it and form a plan to revise your manuscript.

Remember That Revisions Are Normal

Going through feedback can be overwhelming. After all, you just handed off your book baby to a stranger! Receiving feedback that requires you to adjust a paragraph here and there may feel relatively easy, but it is another matter entirely to hear a suggestion that, if implemented, will require hours of planning and rewriting. Just take a breather and remind yourself that revisions are a normal step in the writing process.

Recognize that feedback is not a critique of your writing abilities but a constructive assessment aimed at elevating your manuscript to its fullest potential. Every successful manuscript has been revised. It’s even safe to say that most manuscripts have gone through a plethora of revisions. Your manuscript is no different. Embrace the opportunity to learn and grow from the insights provided.

Consider Others’ Perspectives

Whether your reviewer is a professional in the publishing industry or a neighbor down the road, it’s important to consider his or her feedback, even if it differs from your own. One of the most valuable aspects of getting your manuscript reviewed is that there is distance between the novel and the reviewer. Unlike the writer of the manuscript, reviewers can look over the manuscript with fresh eyes. This means your reviewers are in a position to provide outside and objective insights that you as the creator may not be able to see. Their feedback will also reflect what other readers would notice as they read your book for the first time.

Remember, reviewers provide feedback based on their expertise and experience. Editors have been specifically trained to learn how to make your manuscript successful. They bring a wealth of knowledge about what makes a story engaging and marketable to your target audience. Beta readers are avid readers who will recognize themes you should include in your novel. And perhaps a friend will give you some great pointers.

No matter who your reviewers are, they will bring value to your manuscript. It’s important to appreciate their time and effort and truly consider their feedback.

Seek Clarity

If you’re unsure about any aspect of the feedback, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification. When reaching out to your reviewer, be specific about the areas of the feedback that are unclear or require further explanation. This might involve asking for examples, elaboration on certain points, or additional context to better grasp the reviewer’s perspective.

Once you clearly understand the feedback, you may want to brainstorm with the reviewer. Or perhaps you have implemented more changes and want his or her perspective on your next draft. Ask your reviewer if you can share new ideas with him or her based on his or her feedback. Going in a new direction with your manuscript or implementing a big change is scary, and receiving additional feedback and validation from another person so intimately acquainted with your work can be extremely motivating, spurring you to tackle the revision with a sense of purpose and confidence.

Most reviewers are happy to provide more insight or look over your manuscript again. After all, they’re now invested in your story too. However, it is a good idea to check with reviewers to see when or if they have time to give more feedback. And if working with professionals, make sure to review your contract to see how many revisions are covered or if you will need to schedule and pay for a new round.

Know What Your Feedback Will Look Like

There are multiple kinds of feedback, and depending on what that feedback is will determine how you will implement it into your next draft. Let’s talk about a few kinds of revisions.

Developmental Editing: Editors will indicate which big-picture aspects of your story need the most attention. They will provide detailed explanations of existing issues and how they can be changed. You may receive an editorial letter with a list of items to address or you may receive a document with comments in it or both. No matter what format the feedback comes in, it is important to read and digest all the feedback before you start revising. This way, you can get a clear picture of the reviewer’s overall assessment of your novel. From there, you can determine what changes you need to make and in what order they should be done. Then, you can start rewriting, cutting scenes, or shifting paragraphs around.

Line Editing: Editors will use Track Changes, which is a feature in electronic documents that allows reviewers to track the changes they make so the writer can see what the reviewers do versus their original work. You will be able to accept or reject these changes in the document. If the changes are simple, like changing a word here and there, you can accept or reject them as you read them. But if the suggested changes affect the manuscript as a whole, it’s a good idea to read all the way through the document before accepting or rejecting changes.

Copyediting: Editors also use Track Changes to make edits to the technical elements of your manuscript, such as punctuation, grammar, and stylistic consistency. Again, you will accept or reject these changes directly in the document. But since these are all changes that affect presentation and not the book overall, you can accept or reject them as you read.

Proofreading: When editors look over your typeset document, they will either leave comments directly in the document that note the errors they’ve found, or they will send you an additional document containing a list that indicates the page, paragraph, and line of the error. If you typeset the document yourself, you can use these edits to update your document. If you hired a typesetter, forward this feedback on to the typesetter, and he or she will make sure the feedback is incorporated.

It’s also important to note that there are no industry-standard ways to give feedback. So it may be smart to ask your editor what format he or she uses or to tell a beta reader that you prefer to review feedback in a specific format. Having proactive conversations like these can prepare you for the feedback you will receive.

Choose Which Feedback to Implement

Not all feedback needs to be accepted. In fact, you can choose to accept or reject whatever feedback you like. (This may not be true if you have a contract with a publishing firm. So make sure to double-check that.) However, even though you can choose how to shape your manuscript, it is important to consider the reviewer’s expertise and your publishing goals when deciding which revisions to implement.

Consider the type of edit done. For example, copyediting adheres to established rules and industry standards, meaning these revisions should typically always be accepted. Developmental edits, on the other hand, may involve significant changes to plot, story structure, or character development, which means they are open to interpretation and should be weighed carefully.

Next, think about what pros and cons come with accepting or rejecting feedback. For example, if your editor advises reducing the word count to meet industry standards, you can choose not to, but be aware that it may be more difficult to get your book traditionally published. On the other hand, if one out of ten of your beta readers has a negative reaction to a certain character and suggests changes to improve that character, you might not need to implement his or her feedback. But if the majority of your beta readers have a negative reaction to that character, implementing their feedback and changing that character may be in your best interest.

When looking over feedback, you should also think about your reviewer’s background. Does your reviewer have any credentials that would make their feedback more credible? Is your reviewer familiar with the publishing industry and giving suggestions that will make your manuscript more successful in a particular genre? Or is his or her feedback based on personal preference? For example, let’s say your manuscript focuses on a particular culture, and your reviewer has given you feedback suggesting you make changes to the description of that culture. You should evaluate your reviewer’s expertise in this area. Is he or she making this suggestion because he or she wants the story to be more familiar to him or her? Or is he or she a sensitivity reader who is familiar with the culture? If the former, you most likely don’t need to implement the feedback; if the latter, you probably should.

It’s also important to remember that your story is uniquely yours. If the feedback you receive doesn’t sit well with you, you do not have to incorporate it into your next draft. For instance, let’s say your story is about two sisters growing up on a potato farm in Idaho. Your reviewer suggests making your characters a brother and sister instead of two sisters. Your reviewer may have a list of good reasons behind this change, and these changes may make your book more marketable. However, you may choose not to accept this suggestion because you have tension with your own brother, which would make it difficult to write about a brother and sister in the manuscript. Or perhaps you’ve been envisioning this book being about two sisters for decades and simply can’t part with that idea. Either way, it’s also important to stay true to your own vision for your manuscript.

Deciding which feedback to implement is a lot of work. Make sure to evaluate each recommendation in light of your creative vision and narrative goals while also accounting for your reviewers’ expertise and industry standards.

Remember, the editorial process is a collaboration aimed at elevating your work to its fullest potential. Every piece of feedback is a valuable opportunity to enhance your writing skills and bring your manuscript closer to publication. By balancing your writing goals with constructive feedback, you can navigate the editing process and feel great about the story you put out into the world.

This article was written by and republished with permission from Ever Editing.