5 reasons writers learn more when they give feedback in workshop
Grow your writing without risking your draft to early criticism
Writers are myopic. We cannot see the individual trees in our work, because we know the entire forest (and think it good). In other words, we can’t see the glaring omissions, the typos, the missing motivation, the failed dialogue, because we know it in the perfection of our writer brain. But the writer’s brain isn’t on the table, it’s just the page and it has to stand alone.
Much to every writer’s chagrin, you can’t follow every reader around, saying, “see, in this scene, they’re in outerspace, so I wouldn’t describe the setting, because they’re in the ether.”
Cool concept, yo, but if it’s not in words on the page, your reader won’t get it.
Which is why I think giving is better than receiving when it comes to workshop feedback. It helps you to see the whole picture, not the one in your head that you feel the need to defend. It also helps when your story or scene is still in the early stages. Early criticism can damage your passion for the story, so wait until it’s finished and polished before putting it on the chopping block—ahem, I mean before submitting it to the kind and responsive readers in your writers’ group.
Aside from protecting your muse from early criticism, giving feedback to other writers can be beneficial to your writing for the following reasons:
Developing a critical eye: When you provide feedback to others, you train yourself to analyze the written word more objectively. You learn to identify strengths and weaknesses in different aspects of writing, such as character development, plot structure, dialogue, or descriptive language. This skill translates directly to your work, allowing you to identify similar strengths and weaknesses and make informed revisions.
Heightened self-awareness: As you analyze and articulate your thoughts on someone else's writing, you gain a deeper understanding of the choices you make in your writing. You become more conscious of your writing techniques, tendencies, processes, and patterns. This awareness can help you recognize areas where you may need improvement or explore new directions in your writing.
Exposure to diverse perspectives: In a workshop setting, you encounter a variety of writing styles, genres, and perspectives. Each writer in th group brings their unique experiences and creative approaches to the table. By engaging with their work, you expose yourself to different storytelling techniques, narrative structures, and thematic explorations. This exposure can broaden your horizons and inspire you to experiment with new ideas and techniques.
Applying lessons learned: When you provide feedback, you often find yourself giving advice or suggestions for improvement. Through this process, you reinforce important writing principles in your own mind. As you encounter common issues or challenges in other writers' work, you become more adept at recognizing and addressing those same issues in your writing. BTW, the converse is true. It helps you to identify your strengths!
Strengthening communication skills: Giving effective feedback requires you to articulate your thoughts clearly, provide specific examples, and offer constructive suggestions. These communication skills are essential for any writer. The more you practice giving feedback, the better you become at expressing your ideas and offering actionable advice. These skills directly translate to your work when it comes to revising, editing, and communicating your intentions to readers.
In an earlier post about the writing workshop, I discussed how workshop benefits writers, and how to give good feedback. This post focused on tangible takeaways you get from giving feedback. It sharpens your critical eye, heightens self-awareness, exposes you to diverse perspectives, reinforces important writing principles, and strengthens your communication skills. All of these benefits contribute to your growth as a writer and enhance your ability to evaluate and improve your own work.
If you’re interested in joining a writer’s workshop… I’ll have some resources for you next week!
Cindy Skaggs is a writer, public speaker, and military veteran who holds an MFA from Pacific Lutheran University and an MA in Creative Writing from Regis University. She is an advocate for military and veteran issues, mom to two humans, and a reluctant wrangler of too many critters. She is a native of Colorado where she teaches graduate and undergraduate creative writing.
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