Writing FAST - Jeff Bollow 2012

Objective feedback
Amplify for maximum effect
Strengthen

Rewriting your own work is a complex job. But by moving through your Strengthen Plan one step at a time, focusing on your idea instead of the words, you can do it.

And, I believe, you must.

It’s important to always Strengthen your own work first.

For two reasons.

Firstly, you’re the only one that knows what you’re trying to say. It’s your idea. I can’t say it for you. Nobody else can either.

And secondly, the more you do it, the better you’ll get. Soon, you’ll be able to grade, prioritize and fix ideas automatically as you’re writing them (in the Apply phase).

But after you’ve been working on it awhile, you’ll start to lose objectivity. You just know too much. You always understand your idea better than anyone else. And that makes it easy to miss something — to think something is clear when it really isn’t.

When that happens, you need objective feedback. A fresh pair of eyes. (That’s the reason I’ve released this limited edition version of the book — because I can’t see it objectively anymore!)

But be careful here.

Everyone’s got an opinion, and most are different to yours. So get your work as good as you can make it, first — get everything to the Tweak grade — before you solicit feedback.

And evaluate the feedback carefully. It doesn’t matter if they think it’s “good” or not. What you need to know is if your idea is coming across the way you want it to. What do they think it’s about? What does it mean? Get their reaction to your ideas.

Now, some kinds of writing will need a professional opinion. For example, I know a lot about screenwriting, and I can tell you this: Never let your family or friends judge your screenplay. Screenwriting has such specific requirements, that if they don’t know the finer points, their well-meaning opinions can hurt you instead of help.

But only get professional help after you’ve made it the very best you can.

You may want to wait until after you’ve Tweaked your work, but it depends on what you’ve got, and what you’re writing.

Just remember, you’re writing for a reader. The best way to get a truly objective opinion, is by showing it to one.