7 Tips on Dealing with Unsatisfactory Feedback

How do you deal with negative feedback?

1. Don’t take things personally
2. Never stop becoming a better writer
3. Keep the useful criticism
4. Balance the negative and positive
5. Do not be afraid to open up
6. Be a good listener as you are a storyteller
7. Always keep an open mind

 

 

No matter how good we think we are in our craft, there will always be room for improvement. There will be times when criticism will make you question your abilities. Even as a blogger, there will be some people that will just not like your writing—and that’s a given. In fact, one of the best ways to get honest feedback is by using a survey tool for websites.

If you are to use a WordPress survey tool, you have to be ready to receive both positive and negative feedback. Expect praises and bashes—some that might even offend you. However, you have to remember that nobody is perfect and the only way to deal with harsh criticisms is to continually better yourself. Here are a few tips on how to do just that:

Don’t take things personally

Receiving negative comments is normal. What you have to do is to use it to improve yourself. Remember, the negative comments you receive are targeted solely on your content and receiving them doesn’t necessarily mean the audience dislikes you personally. Constantly remind yourself that people are remarking about your write-up, and not attacking you as a writer. Most of the time, your readers will be talking about what they find wrong about your writing—and they’re more than eager to help you out.

 

Never stop becoming a better writer

Often people choose to be writers because of their passion—this is something you should never forget. But of course, passion can only take you so far. For you to continuously become a better writer, you should face negative feedback head-on. Learn from them. Don’t let a bring-me-down comment take away your calling.

 

Keep the useful criticism

Criticism makes you aware of different points of improvement. One of your jobs as a writer is to always read through them. Determine which of them are meaningful and ignore the ones that have no essence. It’s your piece of work, and you’ll be able to discern which of them you find useful for your own growth.

 

Balance the negative and positive

Writing is a subjective art. In that sense, people have different opinions. If you are using your WordPress survey tool to garner reviews and thoughts on your piece, know that you’ll receive various comments. Some will speak well of your work, while others criticize it. Just because there is a bunch of negative feedback, doesn’t mean your work is a failure. Use negative feedback as guidelines for what you should improve on and use positive feedback as motivation to keep up with the standard of your work.

 

Do not be afraid to open up

People who receive negative feedback for the first time might see this as a failure to meet expectations. When this happens, don’t be afraid to share your distress. Keeping it all in might affect your mentality so it would be better for you to find someone you can talk to. Be it your family, a colleague or your closest friend, talk with them about the critiques you’ve received, and you might even be given some great advice afterward.

 

Be a good listener as you are a storyteller

When you write any piece of work—may it be fact or fiction—you write based on your own perspective. It’s a silent communication between written words. Take in the feedback that you received. From your most supportive patron to the harshest critic, you will learn a lot about your work and their views. Give yourself a break from writing and dedicate a few hours to understanding what other people say.

 

Always keep an open mind

Receiving unsatisfactory feedback can be a bit of a downer for a lot of people. However, it’s something that you will constantly have to deal with. In order to make the most of it, you should have an open mind. By being open to all kinds of feedback, you free yourself from disappointment and open more doors for improvement. You’ll also find it easier to take negative criticisms and to quickly adapt to it when you consider it a pressing issue.

 

Key Takeaway

Negative feedback is not something that anyone is excited to read about. But it’s also something that will be useful for your own self-improvement. That being said, it doesn’t matter what you do for a living, you will encounter different kinds of opinions and feedback along the way. You should not always expect praises—in fact, you might hear more negative criticism—and that’s okay. Just remember that these criticisms are targeted at your work. Use them to better yourself as you grow in both your career and your personal life.