Gathering honest feedback from your fiction writing community can be challenging, especially when members are unsure how to share their thoughts. These templates make it easy to ask the right questions and encourage members to share ideas that can shape the future of your group.
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Community feedback posts open the door for every member to feel heard and valued. By inviting opinions in an open, curious tone, you lower the pressure for perfection and empower even your quietest members to participate. This strengthens trust and a sense of belonging, which are crucial for creative communities like fiction writing.
Soliciting feedback also helps community managers understand what matters most to members. When people see their input being requested and acted upon, they become more invested in the group's growth. Over time, this results in higher engagement, better resources, and a community that evolves to meet its members' creative needs.
What is one thing you wish our fiction writing community would do differently?
💡 Example: "What is one thing you wish our fiction writing community would do differently? Share your thoughts below."
How helpful do you find our weekly writing prompts?
💡 Example: "How helpful do you find our weekly writing prompts? Let us know your experience."
Which community feature would you like to see added next?
💡 Example: "Which community feature would you like to see added next? Reply with your ideas."
What has been your favorite group activity so far and why?
💡 Example: "What has been your favorite group activity so far and why? We'd love to hear."
How can we make our critique sessions more useful for everyone?
💡 Example: "How can we make our critique sessions more useful for everyone? Please share your ideas."
Is there a writing resource you think we should share with the group?
💡 Example: "Is there a writing resource you think we should share with the group? Drop your recommendations."
What keeps you coming back to this community?
💡 Example: "What keeps you coming back to this community? We are curious to know."
Tell us one thing you wish you had learned sooner as a writer.
💡 Example: "Tell us one thing you wish you had learned sooner as a writer. Share your story."
How do you feel about the current group guidelines?
💡 Example: "How do you feel about the current group guidelines? Any suggestions?"
What type of challenges or contests would excite you most?
💡 Example: "What type of challenges or contests would excite you most? Let us know your ideas."
Have you made any writing friends here? How did it happen?
💡 Example: "Have you made any writing friends here? How did it happen? Share your story."
What genre would you like to see featured more in our group activities?
💡 Example: "What genre would you like to see featured more in our group activities? Let us know."
Do you feel comfortable giving and receiving feedback here?
💡 Example: "Do you feel comfortable giving and receiving feedback here? We want to know."
Share one suggestion for improving our online meetups.
💡 Example: "Share one suggestion for improving our online meetups. Your input matters."
What topics do you want to see covered in future workshops?
💡 Example: "What topics do you want to see covered in future workshops? Let us know."
On a scale of 1-10, how inspired do you feel after our events?
💡 Example: "On a scale of 1-10, how inspired do you feel after our events?"
What is the biggest challenge you face in finishing stories?
💡 Example: "What is the biggest challenge you face in finishing stories? Share your struggles."
Which part of our community do you use the most and why?
💡 Example: "Which part of our community do you use the most and why?"
How could we make it easier for new members to join in?
💡 Example: "How could we make it easier for new members to join in? Suggestions welcome."
What do you think of our current posting frequency?
💡 Example: "What do you think of our current posting frequency? Too much, too little, or just right?"
Do you have feedback on our community newsletter?
💡 Example: "Do you have feedback on our community newsletter? We are listening."
What motivates you to participate in group discussions?
💡 Example: "What motivates you to participate in group discussions?"
Is there a tool or platform you wish we would try for group writing?
💡 Example: "Is there a tool or platform you wish we would try for group writing? Let us know."
Which community rules are most helpful to you?
💡 Example: "Which community rules are most helpful to you?"
If you could change one thing about our writing challenges, what would it be?
💡 Example: "If you could change one thing about our writing challenges, what would it be?"
What feedback do you have about our moderation style?
💡 Example: "What feedback do you have about our moderation style? Please be honest."
How do you feel when your work gets feedback in the group?
💡 Example: "How do you feel when your work gets feedback in the group?"
Do you prefer structured or casual events? Why?
💡 Example: "Do you prefer structured or casual events? Why?"
What makes you feel most supported as a writer here?
💡 Example: "What makes you feel most supported as a writer here?"
Which days or times work best for live writing sessions?
💡 Example: "Which days or times work best for live writing sessions? Let us know so we can plan."
What is missing from our resource library?
💡 Example: "What is missing from our resource library? Share your requests."
If you could give one tip to improve our space, what would it be?
💡 Example: "If you could give one tip to improve our space, what would it be?"
What type of feedback is most helpful to you when sharing your writing?
💡 Example: "What type of feedback is most helpful to you when sharing your writing?"
Would you like more opportunities to collaborate on stories?
💡 Example: "Would you like more opportunities to collaborate on stories? Let us know."
What makes an online writing event enjoyable for you?
💡 Example: "What makes an online writing event enjoyable for you?"
Are there any topics you wish we would avoid in group discussions?
💡 Example: "Are there any topics you wish we would avoid in group discussions? Let us know."
How can we better recognize members' contributions?
💡 Example: "How can we better recognize members' contributions? Share your ideas."
What is your favorite way to receive community updates?
💡 Example: "What is your favorite way to receive community updates?"
What would you like to see in our next community milestone celebration?
💡 Example: "What would you like to see in our next community milestone celebration?"
Do you prefer feedback from peers or moderators? Why?
💡 Example: "Do you prefer feedback from peers or moderators? Why?"
How can we make our group feel even more welcoming to new writers?
💡 Example: "How can we make our group feel even more welcoming to new writers? Ideas wanted."
To use these templates, select a prompt that matches your current goal or topic. Post it as a standalone discussion, in a feedback thread, or as part of a poll. Adapt the language to your community's voice if needed. Follow up by acknowledging responses and summarizing key feedback so members see their input has real impact.
Since these templates are designed for all platforms, adjust your approach to fit each medium's format. On forums and Facebook groups, post as new threads. On Discord or Slack, use them in dedicated feedback channels or pin important prompts. For email communities, send as short surveys or questions. Always follow up within the same platform to show you are listening.
To address genre-specific challenges, include prompts in your feedback templates that focus on elements unique to certain genres. For example, for fantasy, add questions about the consistency and depth of world-building, magic systems, or invented cultures. For thrillers, include prompts related to pacing, tension, and plot twists. This ensures feedback is relevant and actionable for each manuscript’s genre.
Include template fields that prompt readers to comment on character motivation, growth, and believability. Questions might include: 'Did the protagonist’s journey feel authentic?', 'Were the character’s decisions consistent with their background?', or 'Were secondary characters well-developed or did they feel flat?' This guides members to focus on crucial aspects of character arcs.
Add dedicated prompts for dialogue within your templates, such as: 'Did the dialogue feel natural for each character?', 'Were there any lines that felt out of place or stilted?', and 'Did each character have a distinct voice?' This encourages members to look beyond plot and focus on the authenticity and effectiveness of dialogue.
Incorporate prompts that ask reviewers to identify any tropes, clichés, or predictable plot devices. For instance, a section might read: 'Were there any moments that felt too familiar or overdone?', or 'Did any plot twists surprise you, or did they feel predictable?' This helps writers recognize and improve upon originality in their work.
Include questions such as: 'Was the chosen point of view effective for this story?', 'Were there any confusing shifts in perspective?', and 'Did the timeline make sense throughout the narrative?' These targeted prompts help members give feedback on complex structural elements unique to fiction writing.
Incorporate optional and respectful prompts like: 'Did the story portray diverse characters authentically?', 'Were there any stereotypes or problematic representations?', and 'How might the author improve inclusivity and sensitivity?' Remind members to approach these topics thoughtfully and to use content warnings when necessary.
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