Permission is given to reprint the following articles, provided that the following contact information is provided in its entirety. 

© by Bonnie Budzowski, President of InCredible Messages, LP. 
Visit  www.IncredibleMessages.com or contact Bonnie at info@IncredibleMessages.com. 

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How to Solicit Feedback on the Pilot Chapter of Your Book

By Bonnie Budzowski
President, InCredible Messages, LP

Once you’ve developed a plan for your book, it’s tempting to sit down and write, and write, and write.  I suggest you write a pilot chapter and then invest some energy requesting feedback before you move forward.  Some feedback and “course correction” based on a pilot chapter can save a great deal of re-writing headaches later.  For best results, however, you have to structure the process carefully.

First, select three to five people to ask for feedback.  Choose people who will be both supportive AND honest.  As much as possible, choose people who resemble your target reader, not experts on your topic. 

In addition, request feedback from one colleague who can address accuracy, ethics, and other technical issues. 

Next, give your readers very specific instructions.  At this point you are NOT looking for grammatical perfection.  You are looking for feedback on content, flow, and level of detail. 

Request answers to the following questions.  Write these down so there will be no mistake about what kind of feedback you are requesting.

• As a reader, where did you find my chapter interesting, and where did it bog down? ·         In terms of flow, where are things are choppy and where do I need a transition? ·         Is there any place where, as a reader, you felt confused?  (Like you thought I was going one way and then I went somewhere else?  Or like I made an unwarranted or unexplained assumption?) ·         Where do you need or want more information?  Are there any spots where you felt disappointed because you wanted more?  Or bored because you wanted less? ·         Where would an example make things clearer? ·         Are there any terms in this chapter that need to be defined or explained? ·         In terms of accuracy of content only, did you find any mistakes or anything that might mislead the reader?  (I’m not ready for grammar and punctuation accuracy yet!)

Permission is granted to reprint this article when the following contact information is included: © 2011 by Bonnie Budzowski, President of InCredible Messages, LP. For more free articles, go to www.IncredibleMessages.com or contact Bonnie at info@IncredibleMessages.com.

When it’s time to create “killer content” in a book or speech that establishes credibility and boosts your revenue, Bonnie Budzowski is the perfect resource.  An expert in communication, Bonnie specializes in coaching authors and speakers to organize & express thoughts in ways that capture attention, sell their ideas, and move people to action.  Bonnie helps her clients build content with less time and angst than they dream possible. 

Bonnie Budzowski is Founder of inCredible Messages, Past President of the National Speakers Association, Pittsburgh Chapter, and Past Managing Editor of Speaker Magazine.

If you’d like to sell your ideas, boost your influence, or advance your career through a book or presentation, call Bonnie at 412-828-1629, bonnie@inCredibleMessages.com or visit her website at www.inCredibleMessages.com. 

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