Big-picture feedback is something writers know they need, but can be difficult to implement—particularly when the manuscript has been completed, submitted, and accepted. At this point, writers can feel like the bulk of their work is done: a beautiful thing has been built, and it would seem only small corrections should need to be made.

Until the feedback comes. “Love the voice and the style, but there’s just something missing.” Or, “The plot is great. It just needs more … oomph,” or “I love the premise, but the story feels too quiet.”

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Strategies to Incorporate Agent/Editor Feedback

layered improvements

In all of these examples, the feedback is basically asking that the story be given more layers. The prospect of working new elements into a completed manuscript, without having them feel forced or like they’re checking some boxes, can feel daunting. If you put something new into Act One, then you need to make sure you follow through with it in Acts Two and Three. This generally is more complicated than writing a few new scenes and calling it a day. It means diving deep into your novel, reading through start to finish, and considering the entire work through the lens of the editor’s feedback.

 So how can these layers be incorporated organically, to create an improved, seamless story?

Implementation strategy

Read the Feedback closely … Not Emotionally

First, read through all of the feedback carefully. Make notes of your first reactions to it on a separate piece of paper or in a new document, and then set it aside to give yourself time to process everything that was covered. Go for a walk, unload the dishwasher, throw in a load of laundry. Maybe sleep on it.

Revisit Your Outline

Once you’ve had some time for the feedback to drop down, return to your working outline … remember, that document you created long ago, in the early days, and hopefully kept adding to as the story grew and changed? Revisiting your outline will help you see the story from the thirty thousand-foot view. If you don’t have a working outline, the first step is to create one. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but should cover what happens in each chapter, how the characters feel and react, and how both circumstances and characters change. For some writers, the outline is a one or two-paragraph per chapter summary, for others it’s a bulleted list. Go with whatever works for you. The goal is to create a document that shows your story framework as well as character engagement. You need both.

ReRead the Feedback … And Get in the Zone

After you’ve read the manuscript and updated the outline, set them aside. Read over the agent or editor’s feedback again. Then return to that document (or spreadsheet, or notebook page—I prefer the latter) you started as you first read the comments and write out each problem area identified. (If you’re working in hard copy, leave plenty of space between each issue.) Now, get comfortable. Launch your inspirational playlist. Look at your vision board. Close your eyes, and return to the world of your story.

Brainstorm, Point By Point

Consider each point the editor made. What are the possible solutions? Write them down, even if they seem out of character. Think of ways to stay true to the story you want to tell while making the modifications suggested. What are you willing to let go of? What do you absolutely have to keep, and why?

If your story is too quiet, do you need to add another character to help mix things up? If you do, how will this new person complement and contrast your protagonist? A quiet story could also be an issue of tone. What are ways you could change it up, perhaps by adding humor, or a subplot with secondary characters?

The harder comment to rectify is the vague “it’s just missing something.” If you’re close to your work, it can be difficult to see what that something is. Ask yourself, are the plot points predictable? How does the reader connect with the characters? Here, too, adding a layer of a subplot that naturally intertwines with the main story could be a solution. Look at the other comments that were made. What did the reviewer like? What did they want to see more of? Are there ways to amplify those elements?

Read Mentor Texts

If you’re still unable to get a sense of what your story might need, take a break. Go for a walk. Walk to your local library, and stare at the shelves where your book might one day appear. Then check out a stack of those books and read them (if possible, try to get books published in the last three years). What strikes you about these stories? What elements do you notice that your story lacks? Reading recent mentor texts can inspire you to try new things in your work while staying true to your story. Absorbing the world of a similar story, listening to a fresh narrative voice, can help generate that lightbulb moment of clarity you need.

Keep the Outline Updated … It’s Your 30,000-Foot View

As you work new scenes, elements, and characters into your manuscript, keep track of them on the outline. Then, once you’ve finished this round of edits, you’ll have a master document to glance over to see if the changes you’ve made make sense in the story as a whole. If any red flags pop up, you can check that specific scene to see if it really works. Once you’re confident the big picture looks good, you can go through and read the full manuscript, preferably aloud, for any last-minute line edits.

Adding layers to your story will make it richer and more memorable. The work can be hard, but the payoff is worthwhile. Keep writing!

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