The Importance of Feedback

The first step in my book writing journey...

Hey friends,

Greetings from Bangalore, India!

Last Saturday was a big day for me because I could finally announce to the world that I am writing a book! If you missed that, then watch this video to catch up.

Funnily enough, one person thought I was simply announcing a dream project without any work to show for it. Little did he know that I’d already written down 70,000 words for my 1st manuscript!

Here are some links I enjoyed this week:

• Writer Anthony Doerr on the Power of Books, Writing and Literature | Louisiana Channel: Anthony Doerr is one of my all-time favourite authors. His writing in his bestselling book “All the Light We Cannot See” is simply stunning. I highly recommend you read the book and study his writing style!

• Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance | Angela Duckworth | Talks at Google: I’ve been following Angela Duckworth’s work for years now, and I completely buy her argument that, in life, effort matters more than talent. Watch this talk to learn more…

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The Importance of Feedback

If everything goes well, then I’d have gotten over 100 people from across the globe to give me feedback on my book draft before I send it to my editor. When I announced this, my friend

Silvio Castelletti

asked me whether I’d be able to handle all the collective feedback.

Feedback on your writing is essential. No matter how many times you’ve reviewed your piece, you’ll be blind to several errors and gaffes. By getting other’s to review your work, you’ll be able to iron out those wrinkles and perfect your piece. At Write of Passage—my online writing community—each article get’s feedback from 4-5 other writers, and that is what makes good writing GREAT.

Since I’m working with an editor and publisher, I don’t want them to spend time correcting simple mistakes and errors. I’d rather have them focus on elevating the writing, and that’s only possible if the baseline is strong.

In a way, I’m outsourcing (for the lack of a better term) all the basic edits to helpful friends and fellow writers. James Clear, author of the best-selling book “Atomic Habits” used the same principle. He wrote about habits online for years. Then he saw which posts did well, and then he synthesised those posts into book chapters.

I’m trying to do something similar with my newsletter and, now, my book. I’m getting people on board and showing them my chapter drafts to see what lands and what doesn’t. That way, I’ll have a better idea of what my readers are resonating with, and that’ll influence my decisions moving forward.

A little bit of entrepreneurial thinking goes a long way.

So the answer to Silvio’s question is - Yes, I am making this much harder for myself. But I want to produce the best book I can (at this stage in my life), so I’m willing to put in the extra work.

I’m using this period as a beta test for my book—to see which stories land and which don’t. That way, I can adjust the chapters accordingly.

Many people say you shouldn’t get too hung up on your first book because it won’t win any awards. But that’s no excuse to produce a low-quality book. I will give it my best and then not think about the results.

PS: Having to coordinate book feedback for around 100 people is no joke. This is a whole other logistical challenge in itself. I finally had an excuse to properly learn how to use Google Sheets and make fancy spreadsheets. XD

Postcard

One of my favourite shots of an overlooked bird - the egret.

Favourite Quote

We all have words inside of us — words that could change the world, words that could entertain and delight, words that could teach and improve — but these words can only unleash their power when shared. That’s why I write every week and it’s why I believe that the world needs more people to find the courage to make their work public. Share your work. Share your writing. Make it public. Find a way to lead at scale. - James Clear

Have a creative, energetic and inspiring week!

If you’re new, welcome to The Owlet! My name is Ishan Shanavas, and I am an Artist, Photographer, Writer and Student of the Natural World.

Here I talk about my work, along with curating the most interesting ideas on the internet. I confine them to topics like Nature, Culture, Photography, and Art but often fall prey to other genres.

I would greatly appreciate it if you shared my newsletter and work with your friends. It really helps me out :)