You’ve finally shared your pages with someone. Maybe it was a critique partner, a writing group, an editor, a beta reader. You were nervous, but hopeful, maybe even excited. And then the feedback came. And now you’re spiraling.
Maybe they pointed out something you thought you’d nailed, or they didn’t understand your main character, or they told you something that deep down you already feared might be true. And now the voice in your head is getting louder. Am I even a good writer? Do I have what it takes? Should I just stop now? What made me think I could even write this story?
In this episode, we’re talking about what to do when feedback, no matter how well intentioned, shakes your confidence. How you respond to it is what makes all the difference.
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Episode at a glance:
[07:10] Revisit something you’ve written that you love.
Re-read a scene or a chapter or even a sentence that felt effortless. Let it remind you what you’re capable of.
[08:12] Reconnect With Your Why
Why are you writing this story? Why do you care about it? What was the initial spark that drove you to write it in the first place? Maybe it was a memory, or some spark of inspiration that drove you to write it. Revisit that moment. It’s so important to reconnect with your why for writing the story in the first place.
[08:48] Limit how many voices are in your ear.
Too much feedback can dilute your vision and make you doubt what you’re writing. You don’t have to take every piece of feedback, nor should you. Just take one or two pieces of feedback that resonate for you. Trust your vision of the story.
[10:10] Write something small, just for you.
A flash scene, a letter from your character, a paragraph – something with no goal except to reconnect with the joy of language. And here’s a question you can ask yourself right now: What part of this story am I still proud of? Find that place and anchor there.
Link Mentioned In This Episode:
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