Do you have some favourite readers for giving feedback on your writing drafts? How do you prep them? What kind of feedback do they give? And what do you do with it?
For these questions, I’m writing today with two great pieces of advice passed on from others: Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami (again) and writing school leader David Perell.
How to train your readers
Now that I’m working on a trade book, it’s exciting to think about a range of different people that I might ask to give feedback on my book chapters as I write them. I’m not considering people far outside my target demographics—if they wouldn’t naturally pick up the book at the bookstore, I don’t care so much what they think, really (I mean, great if they end up liking it eventually, but I’m not actively soliciting their feedback along the way). The readers whom I care about are the ones that will already like the premise, the ones whose eyes light up at the idea. Now what their background is, should be extremely varied—and ideally, not as scholarly experts in the field! I’m looking to appeal to anyone: students, lawyers, medical doctors, accountants, civil engineers, carpenters, pastors, novelists, retirees, etc, whomever has an interest in medieval history, or women in history, or saints, or the literary tradition, etc.
So those are the type of “lay” readers I’m especially keen to get feedback on. Though of course I am also having some colleagues read it: they have great advice about lots of different aspects, but especially sources and details.
But asking for feedback from non-scholarly readers means they might not have so much experience in doing that. A while back a colleague introduced me to this method, from David Perell: the CRIBS writing feedback formula. From his website:
Using my CRIBS system, the average person can give excellent writing feedback.
The acronym stands for: confusing, repeated, interesting, boring, surprising.
It’s very simple. You just ask your readers to keep their feedback to these four attributes, noting in the margins spots they feel are confusing, repeated, etc. You’re trusting their reactions and not really asking for their solutions. It’s wonderful because it validates their innate expertise that comes simply from their experience as readers. It’s a classic reader-response validating method.
But what do you as the author do with these reactions?
Haruki Murakami, in his book Novelist as a Vocation, discusses how he deals with feedback from different readers, for instance, his wife or editors at the publishers. He doesn’t slavishly follow their suggestions or get mad (or at least, maybe he does but he gets over it). Then, he operates on a very balanced principle:
Whether I agree or disagree with their comments, I rewrite every scene they have found fault with. From start to finish. In those case where I find myself rejecting their comments, I may take the scene in an entirely different direction.
Whichever course I have followed, once I have sat down and rewritten a given section I almost always find it much improved. It seems when a reader has a problem, there is usually something that needs fixing, whether or not it corresponds to their suggestions. In short, the flow of their reading has been blocked. It is my job, then, to eliminate that blockage, to unclog the pipe, as it were. How to do that is up to me, the author. Even if I feel “That section was perfectly written—there’s no need to change anything,” I still head back to my desk and work it out. After all, the idea that anything can be “perfectly written” is a clear fallacy.
Impressive. I’m not sure I’d have the patience to re-write every section somebody had a problem with, but I really like the idea of just playing around with it until you think it’s better—no matter how it deals directly with the reader’s immediately feedback. That’s why I like the vagueness of the CRIBS system because it gives a measured focus to feedback but then leaves it up to you what to do with it.
Happy revising!
I do think it’s best to be specific with readers as to what kind of feedback you’re looking for, whether that’s “does the opening grab your attention?” Or “do you find character x compelling” or whatever… I’ve found that it helps readers to know exactly what kind of feedback one is looking for…also as someone who is interested in medieval women (my upcoming novel features a 14-century anchoress!), I would absolutely pick your book up off the shelf in a bookstore!