1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 2: Good Morning, This is Laura, Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:22,960 Speaker 1: Today's tip is that feedback is about the person giving it. 4 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: It can be helpful or unhelpful, but it is important 5 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 1: to keep it in perspective. I recently reread Tara Moore's 6 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 1: book Playing Big, which has lots of helpful tips about 7 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 1: finding your voice and becoming more influential. More reminds readers 8 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 1: that feedback from your target audience is incredibly helpful, but 9 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: with feedback in general, you have to keep in mind 10 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: that it is simply telling you about the person who 11 00:00:55,920 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: is giving it, nothing more. Here is one quick exercise 12 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 1: More suggests as a way to realize this. Think about 13 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:10,960 Speaker 1: a book you read recently that you enjoyed. Now go 14 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: to Amazon and read the reviews. Read a five star 15 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:19,839 Speaker 1: review and read a one star or two star review, 16 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: because for almost every major book there are going to 17 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: be some of both. Sometimes these polar opposite reviews can 18 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,039 Speaker 1: even be talking about the same thing. 19 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:40,759 Speaker 2: Someone thinks the characters are wildly inventive. Someone else thinks 20 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 2: they're unbelievable. All that feedback really tells you is that 21 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 2: the first person likes characters who require a little more 22 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 2: imagination that get you into a different world. The second 23 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 2: likes characters that you feel you already know. Now, neither 24 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 2: is particularly right. It might matter which reader is in 25 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 2: the target market, but you don't really get to stand 26 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 2: there in a bookstore or library and dictate who picks 27 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 2: it up. Now, if you'd like to get your book 28 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 2: published by a particular publisher and the editor who acquires 29 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:23,080 Speaker 2: your kind of fiction likes characters in a certain style, 30 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:29,359 Speaker 2: well that feedback will matter if you want that particular outcome. 31 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 2: But with a lot of feedback to eat your own. Now, 32 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 2: if you get a lot of a particular kind of 33 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 2: feedback and it resonates with you, incorporate it. If you 34 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 2: get a lot of feedback that doesn't resonate with you, 35 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 2: but those people aren't in your target market and aren't 36 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:51,959 Speaker 2: decision makers, and whether your project sees the light of day, 37 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 2: well feel free to thank people for their feedback and 38 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 2: move on. This is so important because I have seen 39 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 2: people try to adjust their entire style based on say, 40 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 2: one review left on a podcast. I have seen people 41 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 2: wither based on one critical comment on their outfit or 42 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:21,239 Speaker 2: something like that. Once upon a time, people could only 43 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:26,239 Speaker 2: give such feedback in person, which tempered the comments a bit. 44 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 2: Once you are over the age of eight or so, 45 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 2: very few people will flat out insult someone to their face, 46 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 2: but online people can become playground tyrants. Again. Now again, 47 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 2: this isn't to say some feedback isn't helpful. I have 48 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 2: had incredibly helpful editors in my life. I've also had 49 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 2: not so helpful editors. I've had readers give suggestions which 50 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 2: changed my whole insight on something. It is truly a 51 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 2: beautiful thing. I've also had readers give what sounds like 52 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 2: really horrible suggestions. So you just have to realize that 53 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 2: feedback only tells you about the person giving it. It 54 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 2: tells you if they liked your work or they didn't, 55 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:17,719 Speaker 2: or something they thought worked or didn't. It doesn't fundamentally 56 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 2: say whether your work is good or not. When you 57 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:25,839 Speaker 2: realize that, you feel free to incorporate what is helpful, 58 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 2: but keep your sense of self and control over your 59 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 2: work when it isn't helpful. There are a lot of 60 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 2: critics in the world, so best to keep that mindset. 61 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:45,719 Speaker 2: In the meantime, this is Laura, Thanks for listening, and 62 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:55,599 Speaker 2: here's to making the most of our tax Thanks for 63 00:04:55,680 --> 00:05:00,480 Speaker 2: listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, 64 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:10,159 Speaker 2: you can reach me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. 65 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 2: Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts 66 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 2: from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 67 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 2: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.