The Importance of Eyes on Your Work

How a good critique can inspire you to write more

I confess.

For several months, my self-doubt kept me from making forward progress on my current book. I was feeling a lot of internal pressure and uncertainty. Too much going on, and I didn’t want to add “failure to write something good” to my list of things to worry about.

But I just ended up adding “failure to write” to that list.

Still, I feel blessed.

I have a wonderful friend who writes poetry, and she often shares her work with me. I’m very honored, because her writing lays bare very personal and human feelings and situations. She’s quite amazing. She’s also writing a non-fiction book about a specific type of relationship challenge that she’s concerned is too much of a niche piece. Although it does deal with a narrow topic, I think it can be looked at in a broader light, and could give comfort to many people going through similar types of situations.

But I digress.

For a long time now, my poet friend has pressed me to share my work. I procrastinated and dodged and found other pressing matters. Not because I don’t love or trust my friend, but because I didn’t feel my work was good enough. I’ve shared it with my critique partner before, and she has given me amazing feedback that helped me shape the story. So why would I be so weird about sharing it with a second friend? Isn’t the goal to share my book with the world?

I feel so blessed because my poet friend persisted. She asked questions about the book, about my writing habits, about my plotting process, and so on. She never gave up on me.

So I finally shared the first chapter with her.

And I held my breath.

Again, not because I thought she’d rip me to shreds, but more that I didn’t want her to be disappointed. She’s a voracious reader, and I have no doubt she’s read many books far better than mine.

Her feedback was honest and kind. It helped me find a renewed interest in my book.

Soon after, I sent her chapters 2 and 3.

And her feedback was even more helpful. She saw important things I didn’t. Seeing the book through her eyes gave me new places to go and things to do with my characters.

I wasted a lot of time on fear and doubt.

The feedback I got from my poet friend was very different from the feedback I received from my critique partner. I had a concern there would be contradictions between the two I wouldn’t be able to reconcile. However, that wasn’t the case. Each gave me feedback on different facets of the story. This gave me information that is absolutely invaluable. I now see my story in a different light, and I know how to go deeper with my characters.

The moral of the story is to get eyes on your work: writers, readers, or just someone who isn’t afraid to tell you the truth but understands that you are invested in your work.

My poet friend and critique partner both have my infinite gratitude. As writers and poets, we may spend much of our time alone as we work, but we really do need people to help us get to the next level.