Think about the last time someone reviewed your work and said, “It was good.” Or maybe the flip side: “I did not really like it.”
As an author, you probably walked away from both comments feeling the same thing: nothing useful. No direction. No clarity on what to do next.
That’s the challenge with feedback. Done poorly, it wastes everyone’s time. Done well, it can be the difference between a book that struggles to connect and one that finds its readers.
When Feedback Misses the Mark
When reviewers default to gut reactions instead of observations, authors lose the signal they actually need. “This is good” does not tell a writer which parts are resonating. “I did not like this” does not reveal what needs to change or why.
Authors who seek reviews are not looking for applause or criticism for its own sake. They are looking for a reader’s honest experience, told in a way they can actually use.
The One Shift That Changes Everything
The single most powerful thing you can do as a reviewer: anchor every piece of feedback, positive or negative, in something specific from the text.
Here’s what that looks like in practice.
Vague: “I did not like the pacing.”
Specific: “The middle section, particularly around chapters 8 through 10, felt slow to me. The subplot with the secondary character did not connect back to the main thread until late, which broke my momentum as a reader.”
Vague: “I really liked the writing.”
Specific: “The dialogue in the opening scene felt completely natural. Each character had a distinct voice, and I never had to check who was speaking.”
The difference is significant. The specific version gives the author something concrete to work with. The formula is simple: observation, plus an example from the text, plus why it worked or did not.
How to Give Positive Feedback That Actually Helps
Positive feedback is not cheerleading. At its best, it tells an author exactly what to protect and lean into as they revise.
When something lands, say why it landed. Point to a scene, a character beat, a line of dialogue, a structural decision. Try phrases like:
- “What stood out to me was…”
- “This worked really well because…”
- “I appreciated the way you handled…”
Specific praise is a genuine gift to a writer. It says: do not cut this. Keep doing this. That’s information they cannot get anywhere else.
How to Give Critical Feedback That Does Not Sting (But Still Lands)
Here’s the truth about critique: it is not an attack. It is a service.
When you frame critical feedback as your experience as a reader, rather than a verdict on the work, it lands completely differently.
Instead of “This chapter is broken,” try “As a reader, I found myself losing the thread here. I was not sure where the scene was headed.”
Instead of “The ending does not work,” try “I found myself wanting more resolution in the final chapter. The main conflict felt like it wrapped up quickly given the build-up.”
A few things to watch out for: avoid absolutes like “always,” “never,” and “completely.” These are rarely accurate and often put authors on the defensive. Pair concerns with questions or suggestions when you can. “I found myself wondering if…” tends to be much more useful than “This does not work.”
The Feedback Sandwich: A Tool, Not a Formula
You’ve probably heard of the feedback sandwich: start positive, deliver the critique, close positive. It’s a useful starting point, especially if you’re new to writing reviews.
But use it with care. If you bury an important critique between two layers of praise, it can get lost. The goal is balance, not padding. If something genuinely did not work, say so clearly. Just say it the way a thoughtful friend would, not a judge.
Quick Language Reference
Keep these swaps in your back pocket when writing your next review:
- Instead of “I did not like this,” try “This did not land for me because…”
- Instead of “The writing is bad,” try “Some sentences felt overwritten, for example…”
- Instead of “I loved it,” try “The tension in [scene] had me completely hooked because…”
- Instead of “This is confusing,” try “I lost the thread in [chapter], specifically around [moment]”
- Instead of “Good job,” try “The worldbuilding here is detailed without being overwhelming, particularly in [example]”
Honest Reviews Are the Most Generous Ones
Authors come to GetBooksReviewed because they want honest feedback. Not flattery. Not vague reassurances. Real reactions from real readers who engaged with their work.
Being kind and being honest are not in conflict. The most generous thing you can do as a reviewer is tell the truth, with care and specificity.
The review that helps most is not always the easiest one to write. But it’s the one authors will remember, and the one that actually moves their work forward.
Ready to put it into practice? Head to GetBooksReviewed.com and give an author the feedback they have been looking for.
