When you share your writing for the first time, share it with a writers group rather than with family and friends. Be courteous to your readers, tell them what you want feedback on, welcome their criticism, and then decide for yourself which advice to follow.
When you have poured your heart and soul into your writing, sharing it can feel intimidating. You love it too much to let anyone speak ill of it. But to become good at writing, you need feedback. These tips make it a little less scary to share your writing for the first time.
Should you share your writing with family and friends first?
No. Don't bother with family and friends.
Yes, they may support your writing. That is nice, but they are still not the best choice. Unless they are writers themselves, they may not be able to give you valuable feedback.
Your best option is to share your work with a writers group. If you can find one in your area, that's great. If there isn't one nearby, you can always find one or more online.
Join a group that shares your passion, your goals, and your writing pace. The perfect group may not exist, but one that meets most of your criteria is more than enough.
4 things to do when you share
Here are four things to do once you have found someone to read and critique your work.
1. Be courteous
Respect the people who give up their time and energy to help you. Don't hand them 20 pages and then nag them for a quick reply. They will think you are a self-important nuisance.
Also, fix the spelling and grammar mistakes first. Your first draft doesn't have to be perfect, but it should have as few typos and grammar mistakes as possible. The Spell Checker helps you catch them before anyone else reads your draft.
2. Give your readers a goal
Be specific when you ask for feedback. What is the most pressing problem you are trying to solve? Do you struggle to introduce a new character? Or do you find it hard to describe a place or an event with more senses than just sight?
When you pinpoint the exact problem you want to solve, you help your readers give you a concrete answer instead of a generic one.
3. Welcome criticism
Everyone wants praise for their work, but to be honest, praise is rare when you are an aspiring writer. Criticism, on the other hand, you will never be short of.
So always assume good intentions behind every piece of criticism you receive. Take a deep breath and prepare yourself for the comments that will push you out of your comfort zone. You will be thankful for them later.
4. Filter the feedback
This one may seem selfish. You ask people to spend their time giving you feedback, and in the end, you only listen to some of them. But that is how it goes.
It is your writing, so it is up to you to shape it the way you see fit. It is no different from asking people what to wear to a party. Your friend may say a grey tux doesn't suit you, but if you feel comfortable in it, that is the one you should wear.