Feedback: Friend or Foe?

Let’s be honest here. When you envision getting feedback on your writing, are you eager to see where your reader’s comments will lead your draft next, or are you terrified by the thought of even opening the email?

woman in the dark peeking through her hands over her face

Every professional writer gets feedback as part of the publishing process. And guess what? As an academic, you are also a professional writer! You may still also be a student, in which case you are learning and being evaluated on your learning as you begin writing to professional academic standards. That’s intimidating and can lead to a perception that critical feedback means you have done something wrong (it usually doesn’t mean that).

Where ever you are in your academic career, I invite you to explore your experiences with receiving feedback on your writing. What experiences stand out? What emotions and bodily sensations come up as you recall these experiences? This exploration is an important first step in evaluating your relationship with feedback, so you can make any needed adjustments to that relationship and really harness feedback to serve your writing process. Feel free to share your reflection in the comments!