WHAT DID YOU SAY?

How To Tell if Your Writing’s Any Good

A reminder of one of the best mentoring processes of all

Photo by Hal Gatewood on Unsplash

As a keen electric guitarist, feedback is not something I always want.

But, as a writer?

Long-term readers know we’ve discussed this before. But this is an excellent time to remind myself of the value of reviewing your readers’ comments.

Writing mentor Nicolas Cole often points it out. One of the significant advantages of being a digital writer? Having an instant feedback loop.

One that is simple for your readers to use. And easy for you to check, collate and extract value from.

Of all the articles I have written over the years, some of my favourites began with a reader’s comment.

• A story on using original images in your writing. It led to a piece on why not to sometimes.
• An exchange with a kind reader on one of my writing tips pieces. It made me rethink how I address people when replying to comments. This gave rise to a new article.
• A comment on one of my “healthy eating” stories. This opened up a new writing relationship. Resulting in ongoing mutual support and idea generation.