Vocabulary for Useful Feedback
Words you can use to highlight the strengths in each other’s work
The sun slants in over an old wood table, a press-back chair splattered with paint, a little candle lantern, and the word “Poetry”.
Sometimes it’s hard to find the words.
At Firefly we put a lot of effort into giving one another feedback that helps us build our work from a place of power and confidence. But positive feedback, like everything else, takes work. If you’re struggling to know what to say beyond “I liked it”, here are some starting points.
Sensory detail. Does the author involve all your senses in the piece? Are there any particular parts that you can feel, smell, taste, see or hear?
Beauty. Does the piece have that value we call “beauty”? If it does, specify where and how that was communicated.
Humor. Does it make you smile or laugh? How? Exaggeration? Irony? Surprise? What parts?
Form. Does the piece have a clear beginning, a middle and an end? Does it hold together in another, interesting way?
Universality. Does it strike a chord for you? Does it remind you of your own life? Is there anything here that you will carry back into your own writing or life?
Immersion. How deeply do you feel involved or immersed in the piece? How does the author achieve this?
Intimacy. Do you feel close to the author, that you know who they are? What aspects of the piece make you feel this way?
Openings. Does the first line pull you in? The first paragraph or scene? How?
Closings. Does the conclusion leave you feeling satisfied? How?
Word Play. Does the author use words in a clever way anywhere in the piece? This could include alliteration, onomatopoeia or rhyme.
Suspense. Is your attention pulled forward through the use of suspense? How does the author achieve this?
Metaphor. Are there interesting metaphors used in the piece?
Clarity. Is the piece clear? Is it easy to follow and understand? Is there an element of effortlessness in reading to it?
Originality. Does the author create something new, that you’ve never heard before? A metaphor, an emotion, a truth... What parts?
Conciseness. Is the piece concise? Are they sparing in words, using just the right ones?
Voice. Is the writer displaying a voice that is uniquely theirs? Have you heard them use this voice before?
Still not sure? Here are some prompts to get you started.
One of your gifts as a writer is…
My favourite part of this piece is…
I’m impressed with…
You really succeeded in…
I don’t know if you meant to do this but…
The first thing that struck me about this piece was…
I learned something in this piece. It was…
Your writing sounds a lot like… (insert writer here, and explain why the connection.)
You’re doing something that a lot of writers struggle with here, which is…
I can imagine this being part of… (share how it can imagine this being expanded.)
This would be an amazing resource for people who (share an idea for an audience.)
Do you have more? Hit us up! This is a living document, it keeps evolving through conversation, connection and growth.