EPISODE 9: SEEK FEEDBACK: OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVES CAN LEAD TO A BETTER BOOK

EPISODE 9: SEEK FEEDBACK: OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVES CAN LEAD TO A BETTER BOOK 

Pamela opens by naming a hard truth: every writer thinks their book is good, and that blind spot is human nature, not arrogance. She walks through how to choose test readers wisely—people who genuinely read in your genre, who care more about helping you improve than protecting your feelings—and distinguishes cheerleaders from real critique partners. 

Welcome to Episode 9.

Here's a hard truth nobody warns you about: you are not the most reliable judge of your own work. None of us are. We're too invested, too close, too in love with what we've created. Getting feedback isn't a sign of weakness. It's one of the smartest things a writer can do.

At some point you have to let someone else read your book. I know. That thought can be terrifying. But staying in the safe bubble of your own opinion is one of the surest ways to be rejected by agents or to self-publish a book that isn't quite ready. This episode is about building a team of trusted test readers.

You Can't Be the Only One Who's In Love With Your Book

Every writer thinks their book is good. That's not arrogance. It's human nature. We create something, we invest ourselves in it, and we fall in love with it. The problem is that love makes us blind to its flaws.

The goal isn't to stop loving your book. The goal is to find people whose honest feedback helps you make it better, so that eventually other people love it too.

With my first book, I was convinced that the manuscript was ready when it wasn't. As a matter of fact, it wasn't even close to being ready. It took trusted outside voices to show me what I couldn't see on my own. That feedback was both uncomfortable and invaluable.

Choose Your Test Readers Wisely:

Not all feedback is created equal. Soliciting feedback from the wrong people can be discouraging, misleading, and ultimately unhelpful.

Seek out friends and colleagues who genuinely support you and want you to succeed, but who are honest enough to tell you the truth. Cheerleaders are wonderful for morale. But they may not be the most useful manuscript readers.

Don't expect helpful feedback from people who don't read much. Your friend who is wicked smart, but who hasn't read a novel in years, may not be equipped to tell you whether your book is working.

Your test readers also must enjoy reading your genre. Giving your romance novel to a friend who only reads science fiction is not likely to be of much help to you.

The best test readers are people who read voraciously in your genre, who have good critical instincts, and who care more about helping you improve than about protecting your ego.

Your No-Excuses Challenge for Episode 9

Make a list of five people in your life who read voraciously in your genre and who you trust to be both honest and kind test readers. When you've finished revising your draft, ask them if they'd be willing to read your manuscript and give you constructive feedback. Identifying your team now means you won't be scrambling for it later.