No! No! No! It’s all wrong!

One of the most challenging aspects of writing is having someone read your work. Worse still, you’ll probably want them to give you feedback. Is it worth the risk? What if you hear the most soul-destroying feedback: “No! No! No! This is all wrong!”? How will you ever write again?

Receiving overly negative feedback can be disorienting. Still, there are things you can do to minimise the risks. Here’s a few:

Decide your review process.
As with writing, reviewing and editing your work is a process. There’s little point in having no grammatical errors or typos if your piece doesn’t appeal to your target market.
Review from ‘big picture’ to ‘finer detail.

For example, I use this process:
• Is the writing in an appropriate format eg. for a website, brochure, letter?
• Does the writing present the requested image?
• Does the language appeal to the target market?
• Does the information flow logically?
• Have I included all the information necessary?
• Is there anything that needs further explanation?
• Are there any long sentences I need to break down?
• Is the headline appropriate or does it need re-working?
• Are there any unnecessary words?
• Are there any grammatical errors?
• Are there any typos?

Choose reviewers carefully
Giving feedback can be as challenging as receiving feedback. So choose reviewers who are willing to be honest about your work. Though some say never ask a friend or family member, my experience is that they can be as effective as some totally independent. It really depends on the individual. Choose people who are tactful, grounded and able to review your work independently of their own writing. Everyone has a different writing style and as long as you’ve followed the rules of good writing, your reviewer needs to respect your ‘writing voice’.

Explain the process to your reviewer.
Many times we consider that our reviewers are doing us a favour and so we shouldn’t place ‘our demands’ upon them. Yet consider this: Your reviewer isn’t a mind reader. Just as this might be your first piece of copywriting, it might also be their first piece of reviewing. Explain your process so they can be clear on what you want them to do.

Give your reviewer information.
To give you constructive feedback, your reviewer needs some information including:
• A brief description of your target market
• The challenge/s that your product / service solves for your target market
• The aim of the piece of writing – is it to sell, promote or educate?
• How long the final copy needs to be.
• What other marketing pieces will support this piece eg. website, brochure, flier?

Explain how you want to receive the feedback.
If you give your reviewer a hard copy of your writing, you might ask them to scribble their notes and identify areas that need attention on the copy. If you send them a word document, you might ask them to review on-screen using ‘track changes’. You might ask that they don’t mark the hard or soft copy in any way, but make notes in a separate document. Or you might ask that they meet with you to explain their comments.

Consider what will work best for you and negotiate the feedback method with your reviewer.

Be prepared to re-write and edit
A first draft that doesn’t require editing is like a blue moon or a hen’s tooth or any other phrase with that meaning – extremely rare. Even as a professional copywriter, I expect client’s to make changes. I’m also fully aware that I make mistakes. Re-writing might seem like a chore, yet I find it exhilarating. Why? Because writing is a process and re-writing is one step closer to my finished draft. And as I review and rewrite, I can see my message becoming clearer as I hone in on exactly the right words to use.

Finally, if you’re unlucky enough to have a reviewer who does actually say, “No! No! No! This is all wrong”, take heart. It is definitely not about you. I once had a boss who used that line ten seconds after I’d given her a proposal I’d written. By the end of the document she was happy to change only one word in the second sentence.

It pays to remember that your reviewers are people too. They have egos and dreams, idiosyncrasies and preferences. Yet, once you understand those, the feedback they can give you might just take your writing to the next level.

Happy editing!

The Full-Split Challenge – an update

I would like to report that a miracle has occurred and I am now able to drop into a full split on cue. However, this remains untrue.

Still, my feet are inching further apart, I can lift my legs higher and I can actually move the day after I’ve stretched.

As always, there are a few unexpected lessons in this Full-Split Challenge:

1. Flexibility also involves muscle strength. So strength training can actually increase flexibility.

2. Rest is vital. In fact, it’s only as the body recovers that it becomes stronger. No rest. No recovery. No improvement.

3. Correct posture is also important. The better my posture, the lower my splits and I’ll save myself from unnecessary strains and pains.

That’s all very nice but what do these little gems mean for anyone who’s not training to do a full split? Well, here are a couple of thoughts:

See the value of every activity.
Often we focus so strongly on the end result that we fail to accomplish the very tasks that will support us in achieving our goal.

Take time out.
Our minds, like our muscles require rest to build strength, re-energise and expand. How can we know what our next step is if we don’t allow ourselves the time to consider it?

Choose your stance carefully.
As with correct posture, an appropriate mindset can increase our chances of success – and with much less effort and potential for injury. Consider what mindset serves you best and adopt it!

How to Deal with Negative or Demanding Clients, Customers and Colleagues – without Becoming Drained or Uptight

Resilence Expert, Micahel Licenblat of Bounce Back Fast will show you how to:

Stay cool and calm and dramatically reduce your feelings of anxiety, anger and frustration during a confrontation, conflict or clash

Deal with disgruntled, hot headed or 'energy zapping' customers or clients without becoming uptight or drained

Work and communicate well with any type of person by reading their 'Pressure Patterns'

Resolve and diffuse conflicts, complaints and misunderstandings more effectively - without going around in circles

When: Thursday 31st May from 9am - noon
Where: Buckingham International Hotel , 1130 Nepean Highway, Highett
Investment: $195 or get another ticket free when you book for 2.

For more details go to: www.bouncebackfast.com or download the information/registration form here.

I've seen Michael present and he's energetic and very generous with information, startegies and techniques.

Saying to Soar By

If liberty has meaning it means freedom to improve.

Philip Wylie

Email: mandy@talkingturkey.com.au
Web: www.talkingturkey.com.au

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