Honesty

I have something different for you all today. It's a lesson on honesty (one I've learned myself the hard way) from me to you. Take it however you want, and (hopefully) enjoy.

Beta reading. Line editing. Helping other writers with revisions. We've all done our fair share of reading someone else's work to help them along in their journey as a writer, right? Even if you haven't (yet!), this post still applies. 

When you're giving feedback on someone's novel, there is one, extremely important thing to keep in mind. This will benefit the writer you're assisting more than almost anything else, even though it might feel like that's not true.

You absolutely must be HONEST.

Look at the difference between these two responses to a chapter that's in rough shape (keeping in mind I am creating these examples right now, on the spot):

RESPONSE 1: Wow! I really like this chapter! It has a ton of potential. Awesome!!!  I can see how much time and thought you put into it. Way to go!

RESPONSE 2: Okay. Nice! This chapter has a lot of potential, and it's almost there. Here is what I suggest you think about as you revise...

Maybe that's a tiny bit of an exaggeration, but it happens! Especially depending on who's manuscript you're reading. Maybe you're afraid to criticize? Maybe they're new to the writing thing and you don't want to discourage them? Maybe you think nothing you have to say could help them?

That brings me to the second part of this post.

You must be TACTFUL.

Tactful honesty is a recipe for success. When approaching a situation where you'll be offering advice/critiques/etc. it's important to remember first off that whatever you say the author will ultimately decide to take or leave. But in order to do them a favor, you must be honest, in a tactful way. That's the very best gift you can give to them.

If you sugar-coat (I really, really liked this! It has some mistakes, but nothing you can't fix, really! I just love it. You're going to be published in no time!) you may feel like you're protecting the writer, thus helping them stay encouraged and charge forward in their writing career. But actually, you're only tying a weight to one of their ankles, slowing their progress, hindering them.

Where's the line between discouraging the writer and being honest to help them? It's very fine, but it's there. One way to be tactfully honest is to express your opinions as opinions. Ask questions, and leave things open for thought. By stirring the writer's creative juices, you're working against the discouragement factor, while working toward successful revisions and ultimately fixing the problems you see.

Look at the example below:

EXAMPLE 1: Okay. This chapter started well, but then went right downhill. You lost your pacing (and my interest) and it rambled on. I was just skimming by the end. This needs a LOT of work. It's doable, but it's a lot. You should fix A, B, C and D. Also, character B is totally unlikeable!

Before I give you Example 2, I'm going to pick out the problems with the above critique.

*It's too harsh. It's honesty without tact. It wasn't approached gently. You can be honest, and still gentle.

*The line about "needing a lot of work" (while true) is a check in the discouragement column. Know the writer!  Can they handle a comment like that? Not sure? Leave it out.

*The use of "you should" is teachy. It's imperative. Giving a writer an order about their own work is more likely to raise anger/resentment rather than consideration.

*Saying "character B is" is stating a fact. There's a big difference between "there is" and "I think" and how the writer takes each.

EXAMPLE 2: This chapter began with promise, but I felt it went downhill after that. I had some issues with the pacing; I felt like it was rambling, especially toward the end. Is there a way you could make A happen faster? I would do B and C to fix this. Also, I didn't like character B. I feel they came off like [words] and I had trouble sympathizing because of [words]...

And on it goes. See the difference? Words like "I felt" and "I suggest" make a world of difference. You are being honest about your reactions/feelings/opinions, but you're not preaching it at the writer. You're merely offering your advice, your two cents, your help. And if you come about it in a humble, tactful way, it will be endlessly more effective.

Ultimately, it's up to the writer what to take or leave. You can only do so much. But your (tactful) honesty is ultimately only going to help them along in their writer journey, whether they decide to miss out on that or not.

LESSON LEARNED: Don't be afraid to be honest!

To conclude this post, I'll leave you with some questions. Have you ever struggled with being honest? Have you ever been too rude/preachy? Have you had negative reactions from someone whose work you were critiquing? What lessons have you learned from your personal experience with helping other writers revise their work? 

Best Part of Today: Being with TARYN!!!
Currently Craving: SLEEP. A solid 10 hours. (Yes, I said 10!)
Music Pick: "Shooting Star" by Scarlet Division
I'm Reading: Why, nothing! (Or maybe I'm just procrastinating to begin my english lit required reading...)

WIP: Fire (11,261 words)