Greetings, friends!
In this week’s edition of “impromptu literary advice from an arguably unqualified peer,” we’ve got a question for the ages:
How do you separate yourself from your writing when asking other people for feedback?
This piggybacks off last week’s discussion about fostering critical relationships. The takeaway was that a good critical partnership stems from honesty: a realistic assessment of your own capacity, needs, and expectations. That, and finding someone who can match your energy. It’s not so different from dating or making friends.
Likewise, at the core of this week’s question is a very human problem: How can I grow without getting hurt? How can I change without suffering?
If you’re asking for feedback on your writing, it’s probably because you’re trying to improve. Granted, there could be subconscious motives at play—a desire for praise, a latent competitive streak, an attempt to connect, or something more freudian. But generally speaking, requesting feedback refle…