3 Levels of Feedback Every Writer Needs

Today I’ll explain 3 types of feedback every nonfiction writer needs.

Every writer knows feedback is helpful, however, few have mastered the 3-fold feedback framework I’m about to unpack.

Instead, they settle for one (maybe two) which prevents them from reaching their full potential.

Just as a healthy diet includes a well-balanced intake of nutritious food (protein, fiber, vitamins, etc), successful writers need a diversified regimen of thoughtful feedback.

It’s the only way to improve.

Here’s the 3 types of feedback:

• Personal: get feedback from people who know you really well
• Peer: get feedback from people who know your topic really well
• Professional: get feedback from people who know publishing really well

To thrive as a writer, you need feedback from people who know you, your topic, and publishing really well.

Let’s unpack the strengths and weakness of each type of feedback.

Note: the strengths of each type supplement the weaknesses of the others, hence when all 3 are combined, your writing improves 10x.

1. Personal Feedback

To get personal feedback, find people who know you really well—including your life story, habits, quirks, attitudes, preferences, personality, everything that makes you tick.

This could be family, friends, coworkers, your spouse, etc.

Strengths:

• Helps you avoid a forced or contrived tone (because they know you)
• Reminds you of relevant stories and experiences to include (things publishers don’t know about you)
• Gives candid input, since there’s relational trust

Weaknesses:

• Overestimates the quality of your writing (because they love you)
• Often lacks expertise in writing or publishing

Takeaway: You need personal feedback from people who know and love you. They will preserve your voice and enrich your storytelling.

This is where many writers stop. Don’t make that mistake. Keep going …

2. Peer Feedback

Additionally, seek peer feedback from people who know a lot about your topic. This could be someone you know personally, or an expert you respect.

For example, I once edited a book project on human sexuality, and the author wisely sent the manuscript to a respected theological center that specialized in sexual ethics. Predictably, the response from this center was robust and offered thoughtful pushbacks that improved the manuscript.

Strengths:

• Tests your claims through expertise
• Brings clarity and nuance to your ideas
• Connects you to a wider community that cares about your topic

Weaknesses:

• Tendency to focus on minutiae vs. the big picture
• You might be tempted to soften or change your language to appease someone you respect.

Takeaway: Vet your writing by running it by people who know more about your topic than you do. Don’t fear these people; invite them into your process.

3. Professional Feedback

Lastly, seek professional feedback. This is where a lot of writers struggle, especially if they lack connections in the publishing world.

Professional feedback means finding someone who works full-time in publishing, like a literary agent, editor, or marketer.

I highly recommend hiring a professional editor, even if it’s to sharpen your first chapter or two.

Don’t know where to find an editor? Here’s 2 great resources for hiring a professional Christian editor:

• The Christian Editor Connection
• The Christian PEN

Strengths:

• Pro editors make good writing great
• As your book becomes more readable, it’s instantly more marketable

Weaknesses:

• Quality editors cost money.

How much should you pay for an editor? Somewhere in the range of $30-100 per hour. To have a few chapters edited, expect to pay a few hundred dollars (minimum). Considering the high payoff, the investment is well worth it.

Takeaway: There is no substitute for being edited by someone who does it for a living. Your writing will grow leaps and bounds.

Don’t Settle.

Receiving feedback is vulnerable. But it’s the fastest way to grow.

Too many people assume good writing is based purely on talent. Not the whole truth. Excellence is always the result of skillful collaboration, not isolated genius. Be an incessant learner, eager to improve 1% at a time.

You can do this. The next time you’re working on an article, blog, or book, send your work to:

✅ Someone who knows you well.

✅ Someone who knows your topic well.

✅ A professional editor who knows publishing well.

Your writing will never be the same.

See you next week!