by Michelle Sass Aleckson, @Jesses_girl4evr

Writers are some of the bravest souls in the world. I say that because we bleed into our stories and then bare those words for all to read. In this review-dependent day and age, where anybody and everybody shares their opinions—solicited or not—that takes a lot of courage. 

Some critique we need. We have our blind spots, our weasel words, and biased eyes. Thus, we seek out feedback to improve our writing.  It’s one of the benefits of writing contests and using beta readers. The scoresheets and comments can be very enlightening.

Or incredibly frustrating.

The same words read by different people can bring drastically different scores and critique.  Judge A loved the work, declaring it was the best thing he ever read. Judge B hated it, barely finished the fifteen pages she agreed to score and suggested the author never pick up a pen again. 

Okay, so maybe I’m exaggerating a teeny tiny bit. But if you’ve submitted your work to friends, editors, judges, or family, chances are you’re getting a whole spectrum of ideas back. So, who do you believe? What feedback to you take to heart and what can you discard?

I’m still learning myself, but here are a few things to consider:

• Check the credentials. Agents, editors, and authors with a history of consistent sales are worth listening to. Those that are at the top of the field are well-known. Do some research and find out where their expertise lies. If they are judging or critiquing your entry, they have valuable insight, so listen up.
• Avoid the extremes. Let’s be honest. Most likely your precious WIP isn’t a heap of garbage with nothing salvageable, nor will it be the epitome of the great American novel. Most likely it’s somewhere in between. If ALL the comments fall to one extreme or the other, don’t take them to heart. Instead look for balanced feedback, pointing out both strengths and weaknesses. 
• Look for the overlap. If there is anything repeated by judges or readers, that’s probably something to pay attention to. If you hear from multiple sources that your courtroom scene is too confusing to understand, you know you’ve got work to do.

• If you received a tough review and need an ego boost, ask Grandma what she thinks of your latest novel, but beware. The closer the family, the more biased the feedback may be. Unless of course, Granny is the head honcho at your dream publishing house or an expert editor. By all means, take everything she says to heart! For the rest of us, we’ll just have to enjoy her chocolate chip cookies and praise and leave the editing to professionals. Although, she’s probably the perfect person to head up your fan club when you publish that book!
• Before you pass your book-baby off to a critique partner, make sure she is familiar with your genre. There are certain expectations within each field. A savvy reader will know if those expectations are being met or if you’re breaking the mold in a bad way. Besides, you don’t want someone who hates sci-fi critiquing your newest space alien romance. Chances are it won’t be her cup of tea and you’ll see that in her comments.
• In the end, people can have the best credentials, but they still have their own personal tastes. I had conflicting advice from great editors and authors on the same story. Sometimes it comes down to praying for wisdom and following logic and your own heart. 

Whatever you do, don’t give up. Write on, Brave Soul!

What about you? Have you ever received conflicting advice about your manuscript? 

Michelle Sass Aleckson grew up on both the east and west coasts and has traveled the world, but now enjoys living the country life in central Minnesota with her husband and four children. She loves rocking out to 80’s tunes on a Saturday night and playing board games with family and friends. She’s a graduate of Novel Academy’s Storycrafter course, and she won the 2018 Genesis Award for Romantic Suspense and the 2018 Cascade Award for Contemporary Fiction. Connect with her at michellealeckson.com!