Feedback is a necessary part of writing a book. Since your story and characters live in your head, you’re not always going to explain things in ways that someone without the same information can understand. That’s why you need to find a feedback partner who can tell you honestly what’s missing from your story. However, too often feedback can leave us with a mountain of self-doubt, wondering how much of it we should really take into consideration.

Giving feedback is an art and most of us are not good at it. As writers who will likely (and really should) exchange work with other writers, feedback is a skill we really need to hone and develop. What’s hard about it is that it requires both empathy and the courage to tell the truth. If we’re not kind enough with our feedback, we could discourage someone or even drive them to quit writing. If we’re not honest with our feedback, we are not helping writers improve and hone their craft. If a writer shares their work with you, it’s a sign of trust. Here are a few ways you can take good care of them and help them improve their story.