Handling Editorial Feedback Without Getting Overwhelmed
By Tessa Barbosa | March 29, 2023 |
One thing you’re bound to deal with when you pursue publication is editorial feedback. Either from beta readers, critique partners, or professional editors. It’s been more than a decade, but every time I get a feedback email (no matter how lovingly written) I STILL sit there in sheer terror for minutes/hours/days, before I can bring myself to read it. Can you relate?
In the end, it benefits me more than anyone else to actually read the feedback, make sense of it, and push past my fear of messing up. Here’s how I handle it:
- Only read feedback when I’m in a good frame of mind
Not when I’ve had a bad day, I’m stressed or I’m tired. I like to remind myself that the people sending me feedback are people I respect, and I asked for their opinion. Their job is to help me tell the story I’m trying to tell in the best way, and they’ve lovingly used their time to go through my story to help me. - Read it all once and then do nothing for a few days
I let things marinate in my head, and think about which points are valid and which are not. If I’m having a strong emotional reaction to a piece of feedback, I need to think about why. If I want to reject a piece of feedback, that’s okay too, but I also need to know why.
BUT remember that even though someone points out something is wrong, they may not know the real reason, or how to fix it. That’s up to you to figure out. - Break down the feedback into bulleted lists
Each list depends on what editorial feedback I received. I cut and paste all the points raised into lists in a new document. When I’m done, I have several pages of concrete things I need to fix in the novel. I cross each one off as I fix it in the manuscript, so I can track whether or not I’ve addressed all the issues I needed to.An example of list categories:
- Minor fixes – Anything easy to search and replace, involves one line of work to fix, or involves one scene.
- Character – Note any inconsistencies, or backstory that need fleshing out more, and how to fix it, if I can.
- Worldbuilding – Note inconsistencies, or things that need to be better explained.
- Plot Issues – Subplots, or plot holes that need fixing and how they can be fixed.
- Major issues – Things that I need to thread through large chunks of the story. For example, fixing the pacing in the first half of the novel, or redoing the motivation for one character.
- Finish my story outline
I like to create a simple spreadsheet after I complete the first draft of a novel, and in each row, I’ll write down one sentence description for each scene in the book, numbered by chapter and scene. For ex. 5-1 = Chapter 5, Scene 1. This helps me find all the places where I need to fix things, and when things happened. This outline has saved me SO many times. I highly recommend. - Tag everything I can fix in my feedback lists
I go back to my lists and write down which chapter and scene the issue can be fixed in. For ex. Change the eyecolor in 4-3. I’ll tag everything I can and this saves a lot of time later on. Minor fixes can usually all be planned for this way, if they can’t, they might actually belong in the Major Issue category. - Fix all the easy things first
I like to go into my manuscript, fix all the minor issues and all the tagged issues first. I’ll cross them off as I address them. You might prefer to tackle the harder ones, but I always feel encouraged when I see quick progress when I start, and it’s an easy way to get into the editing mindset.
- Go through the manuscript beginning to end, with my list of fixes beside me for reference
I review my major fix list before I sit down to edit, and when I’ve finished going through the whole manuscript, I review the list again to make sure I’ve addressed everything I wanted to. Sometimes adding things in the end means fixing things in the beginning, and I’ll make note of those on my outline to go back and fix afterwards.
I’ve lost count of the number of rounds of edits my debut novel went through. Part of it was pre-acquisition when I was still learning how to edit, but after it sold we still went through multiple rounds. So much work goes into getting a book print ready.
It feels like I’ve spent the last two years editing, but my book is finally out in the world. It’s both the same book, but so much better having gone through all this work.
How do you stay organized when you’re editing?
Happy writing,
Tessa
Tessa Barbosa writes novels by night, and software help by day. THE MOONLIGHT BLADE is her debut YA Fantasy novel. Tessa lives in Vancouver, Canada and when she’s not at the keyboard, she’s covered in paint, or making things. Keep up to date at tessabarbosa.com or @HiTessaBarbosa on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok
Thank you for these reminders. I also like to remind myself that it’s better to address the editing suggestions pre-publication than to see those same comments in a review. Ouch!
Reviewers will find every little thing you tried to hide!
This hits at a great time as this is the stage I’m at with my second novel. Last night one of my most trusted readers (my husband) read through and pointed out “medium changes” – places where he got confused or where he thought “I don’t think they’d do that” or “that’s not how that would work.” Revisions will be fairly easy but necessary for these types of things. And I like the approach of starting with the easy changes first. Makes it seem like progress.
Ahh, a similar approach! :)
I write in Scrivener but my feedback comes as comments/tracked changes in Word documents from my writing group partners, beta readers and my own read-throughs. I try to copy and paste the comments and changes into Scrivener within a few weeks of delivery so that I can understand any context from a group discussion.
If there’s anything fundamental to the story, I’ll make a note of that and consider how to implement it; everything else I leave until the editing phase so I can approach it calmly. I’ll then colour code the scene in Scrivener’s binder to indicate whether I think it needs a major or minor revision.
At the editing stage, I’ll implement simple text changes (grammar and typos, word suggestions etc) and colour code the rest as questions (continuity, background), negatives and positives (because it’s nice to know what worked as well what failed). If I decide to ignore a comment or it’s been resolved, I’ll grey it out.
You can do so much with Scrivener. I really love the colour coding too! (Though I tend to do mine on paper)
I like to employ the rule of three when considering changes. If the same feedback comes back from three sources, I’ll make the change whether I agree or not. All else is filtered and considered without emotion. Has definitely strengthened my stories. It takes a village…
It really does!
Having done editing, proofreading, (I once proofread 42 regional telephone books – white and yellow pages) and a bunch of writing, I tend to view a lot of editorial advice with a somewhat jaundiced eye. I did some articles for a regional magazine. A few examples: I described a local collector as an “inveterate” collector. The editor changed that to “invertebrate”. I used “conjure” to describe inspiration. It was amended to “conjure up”. I identified the geographical location as the “homeland” of an indigenous people. “Homeland” was deleted. I patiently explained definitions and context to the presumptive editor and was told that my response was not “productive”. Moral of the story: There are good editors, there are so-called editors who don’t have a clue. There is valid and invalid editorial advice. Be in control of your writing to the point that you know the difference. Don’t be intimidated. Practice copyediting. Polish your manuscript. Learn how to read your writing agnostically. Be prepared to defend your position.
A+ advice. A lot of writers don’t spend enough time learning how to edit, but it’s really an essential skill.
I wrote for a group of local-interest magazines, an one heavy-handed editor would sometimes edit errors into my articles… including changing words in direct quotes. I never knew about these changes until I saw them in print.
Of all your suggestions, number two really resonated with me. Too often if we respond at once, it’s from emotion, not a calm thought process.
It’s really hard to take your emotions out of the process!
Tessa:
Your systematic, reasoned approach is welcome news to those of us who scramble about, mentally and literarily flustered. Just to have a set process puts you back in control. Thanks.
I’m often flustered and scatterbrained, so I need the step by step process just as much. <3
In the interest of clarity and honesty, I was a member of a team that proofed those 42 telephone books. Had I attempted the task unaided, I would either still be slogging it out, gone blind, or become a raving lunatic. Just sayin’.
Interesting list.
1) How does one decide what NOT to change?
2) What about reviews?
Regarding (2), I’ve pretty much decided not to read reviews myself. It would be okay to let another person filter it though, to remove the unhelpful and very negative stuff.
Hi Lise,
What not to change? That boils down to knowing what you’re trying to accomplish in your story. For example, if someone says the character names you use are too confusing, but you’ve chosen them for a particular reason (for example, because they are historically accurate), then you should stick to your plan if it’s important to you. Sometimes someone will say something is wrong, but it really isn’t wrong, you just haven’t set up things properly. before hand. That’s why taking some time to think/consider the feedback instead of jumping to accept all of it is important.
Reviews are for readers, not authors. They’re usually too late to change the book/story. Some might be valid, but it’s a good rule (for mental health) to only accept feedback from people you’d respect to give you advice in real life. (There should be some trust / personal or professional relationship).
Hope that helps!