How to Give Effective Feedback to Writers (8 Tips and No Sh*t Sandwiches)

One of the best things about writing for book publishers is working with professional editors. The long process from an accepted manuscript to an even better published book is a wonder to behold.

But most people who have to comment on drafts aren't editors in a publishing house.

Maybe you're one of those people - a content marketing manager working with a team of freelancers, a teacher commenting on student essays, or a subject matter expert providing insights to a technical content producer.

Whatever the reason for giving feedback to writers, when it isn't delivered properly, it can delay or even block progress.

The tips that follow will give you a framework for providing feedback that will help rather than hinder your writers.

1. Understand what's needed from you

I've written before about the difference between editing and proofreading. And when it comes to commenting on a draft, there's a big difference between them in terms of the amount of time each takes and the level of feedback required.

If you haven't been given specific information about the kind of feedback you need to give, ask for clarification.

But generally, the level of feedback you provide will depend on the type of content you're dealing with and the development stage.

Don't do fine proofreading on a first draft, and don't suggest changes to the structure if the content has already been through developmental editing with another editor.

2. Read everything before you comment on specifics

Don't make the mistake of diving straight into commenting before you've read the whole piece. For example, you might be tempted to comment that something important is missing, only to find it is covered later. Is your feedback about information that is lacking or about the structure? You won't know until you've read everything in context, and doing this will give you an idea of the level of feedback required.

3. Start with the most important things

What are the most important things? In a way, that depends on the development stage of the content. If your task is to proofread, then you should only be concerned with the least important things. But generally, we can divide feedback on content into higher-order concerns (developmental editing), mid-level concerns (line/copy editing), and lower-order concerns (proofreading).

If you're the only one providing feedback, divide it into the following three stages. The longer the piece, the more important it is to divide it like this, or the feedback will be overwhelming.

Higher-order concerns (Developmental editing)

• Effectiveness - Is the content achieving its goal? Is the tone and language appropriate for the audience?
• Clarity - Is the point of the content clear? Is the structure cohesive and the flow coherent?
• Credibility - Are claims backed by data? Are sources provided for citations? Are specific examples provided?

Mid-level concerns (Line/copy editing)

• Conciseness - Is every word and sentence really necessary to convey the message effectively? Does the writer go off on rants or tangents? Does it contain anything that doesn't relate to the target audience or information the reader already knows?
• Readability - Are paragraphs and sentences too long? Should some content be presented as bullet points? Are more headings required to make the structure and flow more cohesive?

Lower-order concerns (Proofreading)

• Spelling, punctuation, grammar
• Syntax issues like sentence structure and specific phrasing
• Stylistic issues like word choices

4. Give the writer a way forward

If you give feedback like "This isn't correct" or "This needs work", you're doing nothing but confusing the writer. It's more polite than saying, "This sucks", but it's no more helpful.

Try as they may to respond to that feedback, they could very well end up with something just as bad or worse because whatever was wrong or needed improvement wasn't explained.

When your feedback is specific and actionable, it frees the writer to make improvements because they know exactly what is wrong and how to address it.

If something is incorrect, provide what is correct, or suggest ways to find a solution. Offer examples or sources if they help clarify what changes the writer needs to make.

5. Tell the writer what's working

If you're giving feedback, chances are you're not being asked for a critique. The purpose of your feedback is to guide the writer so they can make the content the best it can be within the required timeframe if there is one. Part of that is letting the writer know what is already effective so they can adjust what isn't working without sacrificing the content's strongest characteristics.

We're not talking about the now discredited sh*t sandwich - where negative feedback is nested between two layers of positivity. The positive feedback isn't about empty praise cushioning criticism; it's about helping the writer focus on what truly works and using that as a foundation to improve the rest.

6. Don't take over

Whatever your personal preferences, remember that this is not your content. Don't be too prescriptive, or try to make them write in your voice. Instead, help them use their own voice more effectively.

Is the writer's perspective or tone of voice interfering with the content's goal? Will it fail to resonate with the target audience? It's not a matter of removing all personality from the content or choosing a word you prefer over the one the writer opted for, but making sure it aligns with the objectives and readers.

7. Don't do a hit-and-run

In an ideal world, your feedback would be specific and actionable enough to keep the writer from guessing. But chances are they'll have questions. Make sure you respond to those. Again: the purpose of the feedback is to help the writer produce the best content possible for the goal. In other words, your feedback should become a dialogue, so the writer can overcome blockers and find a way forward as soon as possible.

8. Ask leading questions

While feedback should be specific and actionable, it’s sometimes useful to ask leading questions that prompt the writer to find solutions themselves. For example:

"I wasn't able to understand how this relates to the main topic. Could you find a way to tie them together? Maybe just a connecting sentence or two to make the transition into the next section clearer?"

This approach respects the writer’s process by guiding them toward clarity without spoon-feeding them a solution. The important thing is they understand the problem and can work on finding the solution themselves.

Help your writers succeed with effective feedback

Bad feedback leads to blocks; good feedback leads to breakthroughs.

These tips, from understanding the type of feedback required to engaging in a constructive dialogue with your writers, aim to help you free your writers to move forward and improve.

Whether you're guiding a freelancer, student, or team member, following these suggestions will let writers produce their best work and make the collaborative effort worthwhile for everyone involved.