Feedback and constructive criticism can be a massive gift!
It’s the best tool you have to improve your storytelling skills.
But it needs to be used correctly.
Here are 10 tips for you…
1: Take everything with a grain of salt.
Feedback is filtered by someone else’s prospective and experience.
Which means it’s never perfect.
Always take it for what it is: a constructive point of view.
2: Deep Listening.
Pay attention to the feedback.
Go beyond the words used. Is the person being polite? Is he trying to protect your feelings?
Or is the person emotional and, as such, giving you an irrational criticism influenced by emotions?
3: Ask Questions.
Clarify any points you’re unsure about.
Dig deeper into the feedbacks you are getting.
The more details you get, the faster you are going to improve.
4: Separate Emotion from Feedback.
It’s okay to feel hurt.
After all, stories can be very intimate and personal.
But growing a thicker skin is part of the process of becoming a mighty storyteller.
5: Seek Constructive Feedback.
Not everyone is going to give you constructive feedbacks.
I’m not talking about those who randomly insults people online for no practical reason.
I’m talking about people that give feedback because they feel pressured in doing so.
6: Use Feedback as a Tool.
Apply the insights to your next project.
Even one simple change is an opportunity to experiment, gain new experience and expand your comfort zone.
7: Don’t Let Criticism Define You.
Never label your identity, even if it comes from feedbacks.
Criticism and feedback are always related to your specific stories.
Never to your identity.
8: Don’t close yourself in an echo chamber.
It’s natural to search for a supportive community (and you should).
But don’t mistake a supportive community for an echo-chamber of people that give you polite, unconstructive feedbacks.
Always search for new sources of feedbacks.
9: Practice Written Self-Reflection.
After receiving feedback, take some time to reflect on it using your journal.
It takes a bit more than just thinking about it, but it will give better insights.
10: Actions are better than words.
When you start to have a bigger following, start looking at people’s actions towards your stories.
What’s the average watch time? And the ration between likes and dislikes?
All this data will give you insights you’re never going to get by talking to people.
BONUS: Ask for it.
Don’t expect others to give it to you.
Because most won’t.
Make it a habit to ask for feedback. And search for mentors: they are an amazing resource (one of the best investment I’ve ever made…).
Hint: if you can’t pay a mentor, you can find a way to work for him…