Gathering honest feedback can be tough for writing communities, but it is key to growth and connection. These templates make it easy to invite input, helping you build a stronger, more responsive space for every writer.
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Inviting community feedback creates a sense of ownership and belonging among members. When writers feel their opinions matter, they are more likely to participate and contribute, enriching the community with diverse perspectives and ideas. Open-ended feedback questions also encourage reflection, sparking meaningful conversations that help identify both strengths and areas for improvement. This approach builds trust and shows that leadership values every voice, no matter how experienced or active the member may be. Over time, communities that regularly collect and act on feedback develop a culture of collaboration and adaptability. Members see real outcomes from their input, which increases satisfaction and long-term loyalty.
What resource in our group has helped your writing the most and why?
💡 Example: "What resource in our group has helped your writing the most and why? Share your stories!"
Which writing challenges or prompts do you wish we offered more often?
💡 Example: "Which writing challenges or prompts do you wish we offered more often? Let us know your favorites."
How could our feedback threads be improved to help you grow as a writer?
💡 Example: "How could our feedback threads be improved to help you grow as a writer? Suggestions are welcome."
Do you feel comfortable sharing your drafts here? What would make it easier?
💡 Example: "Do you feel comfortable sharing your drafts here? What would make it easier for you?"
Which group events have you enjoyed most and what made them special?
💡 Example: "Which group events have you enjoyed most and what made them special? Share your thoughts."
What would you change about our current critique process?
💡 Example: "What would you change about our current critique process? Your input matters."
Is there a writing topic or genre you want more resources or discussions on?
💡 Example: "Is there a writing topic or genre you want more resources or discussions on? Let us know."
How easy is it to find what you need in our group? Any suggestions for better organization?
💡 Example: "How easy is it to find what you need in our group? Any suggestions for better organization?"
What motivates you to participate in our community?
💡 Example: "What motivates you to participate in our community? Tell us your story."
Which features of our community platform help or hinder your writing journey?
💡 Example: "Which features of our community platform help or hinder your writing journey? Share your experiences."
If you could add one new group rule or guideline, what would it be?
💡 Example: "If you could add one new group rule or guideline, what would it be?"
Do you feel your work receives enough feedback here? How can we help?
💡 Example: "Do you feel your work receives enough feedback here? How can we help?"
How welcoming did you find our group when you first joined?
💡 Example: "How welcoming did you find our group when you first joined?"
What is one thing you wish you knew before joining this writing community?
💡 Example: "What is one thing you wish you knew before joining this writing community? Share your insights."
What time of day works best for you to join live writing events?
💡 Example: "What time of day works best for you to join live writing events? Let us know."
How clear are our group guidelines and how could we improve them?
💡 Example: "How clear are our group guidelines and how could we improve them?"
What topics would you like to see in our next group discussion or workshop?
💡 Example: "What topics would you like to see in our next group discussion or workshop?"
What is your favorite way to receive feedback on your writing?
💡 Example: "What is your favorite way to receive feedback on your writing? Comment below."
How can we help new members feel more included?
💡 Example: "How can we help new members feel more included? Share your ideas."
What is one thing you wish we did differently in our writing sprints?
💡 Example: "What is one thing you wish we did differently in our writing sprints?"
Which type of writing feedback is most helpful for you: line edits, big picture, or encouragement?
💡 Example: "Which type of writing feedback is most helpful for you: line edits, big picture, or encouragement?"
Have you ever felt stuck using our group resources? Tell us how we can help.
💡 Example: "Have you ever felt stuck using our group resources? Tell us how we can help."
How do you prefer to connect with other writers here?
💡 Example: "How do you prefer to connect with other writers here?"
What could we do to encourage more sharing of works-in-progress?
💡 Example: "What could we do to encourage more sharing of works-in-progress?"
What is the biggest barrier for you to posting in our community?
💡 Example: "What is the biggest barrier for you to posting in our community? Let us know."
What would make our writing contests more fun or accessible?
💡 Example: "What would make our writing contests more fun or accessible?"
How helpful do you find our resource library? What should we add or update?
💡 Example: "How helpful do you find our resource library? What should we add or update?"
What do you enjoy most about being in this writing community?
💡 Example: "What do you enjoy most about being in this writing community?"
Have you tried our writing buddy system? How was your experience?
💡 Example: "Have you tried our writing buddy system? How was your experience?"
How do you stay motivated to write? Do our group activities help?
💡 Example: "How do you stay motivated to write? Do our group activities help?"
What is one thing we could do to make feedback faster or easier to give?
💡 Example: "What is one thing we could do to make feedback faster or easier to give?"
What keeps you coming back to our group?
💡 Example: "What keeps you coming back to our group?"
How do you prefer to receive updates about group news or events?
💡 Example: "How do you prefer to receive updates about group news or events? Let us know."
What is missing from our community right now that would help you grow?
💡 Example: "What is missing from our community right now that would help you grow?"
Do you feel your genre or style is represented in our discussions?
💡 Example: "Do you feel your genre or style is represented in our discussions?"
What would make our group chats or voice calls more useful for you?
💡 Example: "What would make our group chats or voice calls more useful for you?"
If you have never posted before, what is stopping you?
💡 Example: "If you have never posted before, what is stopping you? We value your voice."
What is your favorite community feature and why?
💡 Example: "What is your favorite community feature and why?"
How could we improve our welcome process for new members?
💡 Example: "How could we improve our welcome process for new members?"
What kind of recognition or rewards would encourage you to participate more?
💡 Example: "What kind of recognition or rewards would encourage you to participate more?"
What do you wish we did more of as a community?
💡 Example: "What do you wish we did more of as a community?"
Choose a template that fits your current needs, whether you are launching a new feature, seeking input on resources, or simply checking in. Post the template as-is or tweak it for your community's tone and context. Encourage all members to share their thoughts, and be sure to follow up with summaries or next steps based on the feedback received. Consistency is key: make feedback requests a regular part of your community rhythm to normalize participation.
These templates are designed for all platforms. Whether you manage a Facebook group, Discord server, Slack workspace, or forum, adapt language to match your community's culture and use platform tools like polls, threads, or reactions to increase visibility and engagement.
Poetry critiques often emphasize elements like imagery, meter, and word choice, while prose critiques may focus more on plot, pacing, and character development. When using these templates in poetry circles, consider tailoring prompts to ask about line breaks, figurative language, and emotional resonance. For prose feedback, customize the templates to address narrative structure, dialogue authenticity, and point of view consistency.
When inviting feedback on memoirs or personal essays, it’s crucial to frame prompts with respect and empathy. Use templates that encourage constructive, non-judgmental comments—such as asking members to focus on clarity, voice, or emotional impact, rather than the author’s personal choices. Include disclaimers reminding participants to approach sensitive material with care, and provide examples of compassionate critique language.
Many templates include targeted prompts to encourage members to identify and discuss issues like repetitive plot devices or overused phrases. For example, a template might ask: 'Does any part of the plot feel predictable?' or 'Are there lines of dialogue that could be made more original?' This helps writers receive actionable feedback and prevent recurring issues in their drafts.
Absolutely. For technical writing, select or adapt templates that prompt reviewers to focus on clarity, accuracy, logical sequencing, and reader accessibility. Templates may include questions like: 'Is the instruction clear and easy to follow?' or 'Are any terms or steps ambiguous?' This ensures feedback addresses the unique demands of technical documentation.
The templates are designed to promote balanced, goal-oriented feedback by encouraging reviewers to highlight strengths as well as areas for improvement. Prompts like 'What is working well in this piece?' and 'What would strengthen the narrative further?' steer members away from overly negative or trivial comments, fostering a more positive and productive feedback culture.
Genre fiction has its own conventions and expectations. For speculative fiction, adapt templates to ask about world-building, internal logic, or believability of fantastical elements. For romance, include prompts about chemistry between characters or pacing of romantic development. This ensures feedback is relevant and actionable within the norms of each genre.
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