When Feedback Hurts: A Writer’s Perspective

Constructive Criticism vs. Dismissive Feedback

Yes, it is an odd title and, given my writing style, highly unusual. But if you bear with me for just a few moments more, I’ll explain.

I’ve always been very open about English being my second language — one I learned as an adult, mostly out of necessity. That being said, it’s also true that I’ve been using the language for three decades, including for creative and academic writing. Nevertheless, I remain scrupulously careful when submitting my pieces to literary journals, magazines, and Medium publications.

A couple of days ago, I submitted a short story to a popular Medium publication that, according to their site, prides itself on strict literary standards and being boost nominators. All well and good. The story I submitted employs surrealistic elements to address topics such as alienation, identity, grief, mental health, and culture — all of which, I thought, were quite relevant. I reviewed the story with my usual scrutiny and awaited a response.

I welcomed the editor’s initial comments and implemented their suggested improvements, as I could see they improved the story. But wait — there is more… and here it is, verbatim:

Clarify: At first, she took the news of her daughter’s death “admirably,” according to the policeman. He came to tell her they had found her daughter. Or something.
Another clunky sentence. Are you writing in a second language?
Yes, you are! Okay, do you mind if I fix a few of your longer sentences? I won’t do that for all, just the longer ones you’re having fluency issues with.

There is more, but these sentences sufficiently demonstrate the point I wish to make without naming the editor or their publication.

My intent here is not to make anyone feel uncomfortable but to show how unhelpful such communication is to writers, especially those of us writing in a second language. Moreover, phrases such as “or something” and “having fluency issues with” do not reflect well on “strict literary standards,” and ”a pub that is very discerning.”

I’ve, of course, withdrawn my story from the publication, not only because of the editor’s approach but also because “clunky” sentences are neither clunky, nor does “fixing fluency issues” improve the story in any way.

Rather, it reduces its trembling, papery heart to something that, while it might be to the editor’s taste, isn’t to its fallible, human writer.

“Rain, Bellagio” by George Elbert Burr. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Carolann Smurthwaite in memory of her mother, Caroline Atherton Connell Smurthwaite. Public domain.