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Putting things into perspective . . . #

Types of judgements

1. Subjective judgements

   • Self
   • Other person (e.g. a reader giving their opinion)
   • Consensus of readers (e.g. average rating from multiple reviews)

2. Objective judgements

   • Self
   • Other person (e.g. a university lecturer using a rubric)
   • Consensus of readers (unlikely because readers tend to read passively)
   • Consensus of academics (of a work that is famous or celebrated)

Subjectivity is the default of anyone giving their opinion; however, we can reduce subjectivity and introduce more objectivity through both reading practice and mode of judgement.

Reading practices

The two types of reading practices are:

1. Passive reading (i.e. reading for enjoyment, for pleasure, and general appreciation)
2. Active reading (i.e. reading for understanding, for analysis, and specific appreciation)

To be more objective, we have to engage in active reading practices; to be more subjective; we simply read passively. Active reading practices generally require formal training of which there are levels. That is, active reading in a childhood education setting using watered down literary theory is not the same as active reading in a tertiary setting. In tertiary settings literary theory is less diluted in undergraduate study, and undiluted in doctorate level analyses.

Modes of judgement

1. Subjective modes

   • Self-reflection (general description of observations thus shallow)
   • Review (a brief expression of thoughts and feelings about a work)
   • Reader feedback (usually from a beta reader expressing their specific reading experience of your work)

2. Objective judgements

   • Self-reflection (dialogic reflection drawn from analysis)
   • Using a rubric
   • Using a checklist
   • An editorial report from a professional editor

3. Combination of modes

   • Critical self-reflection (a higher level that dialogic reflection)

When to judge

The early iterations of creative writing (be it fiction or non-fiction) are bound to have errors as well as require rewriting. That is why the maxim exists that the art of writing is rewriting.

When you publish or share your work, that very act is a declaration that the work is of a standard to be read by others. Therefore, you invite criticism of the quality of the writing. The way to mitigate that is to manage reader expectations (e.g. “This is a draft” or “This is a polished manuscript”).

A story should never be shared until it is properly proofread in passes with targeted edits—it is an insult to your reader to do otherwise unless you clearly convey it is a draft and/or a WIP.

We are all lifelong learners

Whether you are an expert writer or not, we are all lifelong learners. How does that answer your question? Well, it is not that there are bad writers per se, but that there is bad writing. Bad writing is writing that has not been properly developed. It is a subjective term that is derived from applying a deficit model of criticism. Deficit models are not helpful. What is helpful is a strengths-based approach and constructivism.

Handling negative (and positive) feedback

Feedback from others is an opportunity to respond by reflecting on what is said about our writing. From reflections, we can move forward by planning our next steps or taking action. Whether a writer takes action or not is their responsibility as not all feedback is applicable, ready to be understood by the writer, or relevant. The onus is on the writer to decide what they take on board or not. Responding to feedback by “shooting the messenger” is unhelpful so just thank individuals for their feedback whether it is relevant or not – this includes negative reviews. As for trolls . . . just ignore them entirely because showing their attention is rewarding them for their inappropriate behaviour. That is, the worst thing you can do to a troll is ignore them.

My two cents . . .

Map out your writing process and trust in the process. A good writing process—at the bare minimum—will take into account how and when you will rewrite and re-vision in response to feedback. Just remember that making mistakes is okay. We all make them, we’re human. It is what we do to fix those mistakes that matter.