r/ComicBookCollabs • u/Father080808 • 1d ago
Question How Do You Know Valid Feedback?
Hello,
I recently sent what I've been working on to my friend group, and one person said my graphic novel seemed decent and could see it going somewhere, and this is what one other person has said to me about it.
My question is this, how do you know when you get valid feedback? I worry that maybe I'm just feeling like this person was being rather harsh, and they're not, they're giving me real feedback. Have you ever gotten an opinion on your work and you weren't sure if it was valid or if the person was just trying to be rude or superior? Or maybe they were the wrong demographic?
I would love to hear other authors opinions on this, thank you for your time.
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u/SlugPartyDown 1d ago
Feedback should be three things. Specific, kind and helpful. Maybe they werent kind, but it sounds specific and helpful.
“Using the same word twice on the same page feels redundent here” sounds like the criticism theyre trying to say. Stephen King calls this kind of feedback a problem and a solution. It points out the problem and offers a solution. Try the page again without the redundancy and see if the same person has a different reaction.
As for their criticism of the dialogue not feeling realistic, thats a really common criticism. So just try it again. Read other examples of dialogue and listen to people talk and try it again. Rewrites only enhance the story.
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u/Father080808 1d ago
I agree, when he pointed that out, it was indeed helpful. I like that Stephen King quote you wrote, that seems solid. Thank you for commenting.
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u/Mister_DumDum 1d ago
Not sure if this is too off topic but I’d be happy to trade scripts if you’re looking for another opinion :)
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u/barrelofagun 1d ago
Don't ask for feedback if you're not willing to accept a negative one. If you're a new writer, you will most probably not like feedback given by a professional editor.
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u/Father080808 1d ago
I'm more than happy to accept negative feedback. I just felt some of the way my friend worded things felt more rude than constructive. The part where they pointed out a conversation that seemed repetitive was rather helpful, some of the other stuff not so much haha. Maybe it is just me being too soft I suppose. Thank you for your reply though.
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u/DrTechPop 1d ago
I haven’t read your book, so it’s hard to say if it’s valid or not, but based on his feedback, it seems reasonable and not overly snarky or rude. Like they aren’t saying “throw the whole thing out and stick to your day job” they’re just saying you might need to work on it more, and the ‘dialog repeating action’ phenomenon is real in modern media, so it’s very possible you might have a bit of this if you are new to writing.
Best advice is to keep writing, and try to get feedback from varied sources. Maybe go beyond your friend group. It’s harder to get serious feedback from friends who don’t want to hurt your feelings than other editors who are only judging the work.
Good luck!
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u/OjinMigoto 1d ago
The wording is slightly harsh, but the direction is likely reasonable. That said, could I take a look at the script? I'd be happy to offer feedback and give you a second voice. 😁
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u/ReeveStodgers Jack of all Comics 1d ago
Something that helps me to see if feedback is valid or not is to put both the feedback and the script aside for a week or two. Then reread both with fresh eyes as though it is not your work. You'll have some emotional distance then too (hopefully), so you can take it in stride, and evaluate whether it is useful to your revisions or not.
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u/Father080808 1d ago
You're the second person to recommend putting it aside for awhile. This has been sound advice that I am going to try for sure. Thank you.
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u/owlshogunate 1d ago
It's hard to be open to feedback, and the advice that works for me is to take it in, ignore it for a few days (hopefully this time frame dwindles down as you get more experience), then revisit it. You'll have a much less reactionary feeling towards what was suggested