Debate: does getting harsh feedback make you a better writer or just kill your momentum?

I had a beta reader tell me my opening chapter was 'boring and cluttered' and it stung for days, but after cutting 500 words it reads way tighter now. But idk, sometimes I wonder if ignoring the criticism and just writing more would have helped me finish the draft faster instead of overthinking every line. What has been your experience with tough feedback?

2 comments

2 Comments

grace_knight1915h ago

Oh man, I've been there. Did you end up cutting the whole 500 words or just trimming sentences? For me, the best feedback was from a writing group where someone told me my main character felt like a cardboard cutout, and it made me rewrite his whole backstory. That chapter ended up being the strongest part of my book. But I've also had feedback that just made me feel stuck and I learned to set it aside for a week before deciding if it was actually useful or just someone's personal taste.

quinnm7712h agoMost Upvoted

Yeah @grace_knight19, that's a solid way to handle it. I had a beta reader once who told me my first chapter was "too perfect" like nothing bad ever happened to the main character. It stung at first but after sitting on it for a few days I realized they were right. Ended up rewriting the whole opening scene with a real conflict and it made the rest of the story click. But I've also gotten notes that felt like they were from someone who just didn't like my genre, so I learned to trust my gut before making big changes.