Initial Response to Book is it's 'Great'

[user48675]

Just had some initial feedback about my book and was told it was a great story and that I write really well. A writer knows there are many descriptive words that could describe a book and 'great' just sounds like a cover all/someone trying to excuse themselves from being critical/unkind.

My story should have a bit of emotional impact. This particular person who is reading the story should have been able to semi-relate to it. I sent an extract off to a few agents (about 4 or 5), most haven't even taken the time to reply, it's demoralising. Okay, I wrote the story for my benefit never intending it to be published/commercial but I thought it might create more emotional impact rather than a rather lack-lustre 'great'.

Feeling tired and a bit emotional today - this probably isn't helping. Just feeling demotivated, I don't really know what I was expecting.

I can understand why you are demoralised. If it's a friend who is reading it, they are not usually the best source for constructive feedback. It is quite time-consuming to put together a thoughtful critique of someone's work and if the person you've asked doesn't have that time to spare, it might just have been easier to go with a generalised positive response.

Unfortunately many agents don't respond unless they are interested in reading your full manuscript. There are no easy answers other than to say, don't give up.

Sometimes you can be your own critic by putting your work aside - completely aside - for several months (you can use the time to work on other projects) - and then coming back to it, when its flaws will stand out more clearly.

Thanks Pelleas. I've more or less given up on the agents now and I am on a firm path to self publishing. It isn't a friend who is reading it but someone who I assume has read a lot of peoples work.
I also know a lot of it is to do with ego. We often pour a lot of time/effort into writing and expect people to then give it the same time/care but obviously they don't. Nor, might they give it the adulation we think it deserves. It can be difficult to distinguish when someone is just being kind though when they make such generalised statements, rather than I laughed at x or I cried at x or I loved that x character, or on the other hand, I don't think that chapter is needed, x stilted the story etc it shows involvement.

I would say from someone who isn't a friend "it's great, you write really well" is approximately that they think your writing is good, but it's not really their interest.

I think it's positive.

If they didn't like it then a much more general "I liked the bit where he fell off the twig happened, but I'm not really interested in the life cycle of a stick insect." would be more what they would say.

You could try asking them if they'd mind answering questions:
What did you really like?
What don't you like?
How would you say I can improve it?

I would say you shouldn’t even be thinking about publishing before you’ve had multiple read it and critique it.

I’ve found critique partners on the NaNo forums and on Reddit. As well as getting advice on my work, you learn so much about writing from critiquing other people’s.

You say you ‘assume’ they’ve read a lot of other people’s work, but that generic comment suggests they don’t understand what concrete/constructive feedback is, or weren’t aware that was what was being asked for, so I think you need better readers. Either the critique partners @MrsFionaCharming mentions using, though that will involve you investing time in other people’s work in progress, or — if you can afford it — a paid-for editorial read from one of the credible services (though these are hundreds of pounds for a full MS). And postpone pursuing agents or publication further till you’ve had some serious critiques, thought about their recommendations, and worked on revising.

Thanks Croque. The person in question hasn't read my whole book yet. As for agents, given up on that, I will be self publishing, it was never written for commercial purposes. But it is a meaningful story and others might benefit from reading it. For that reason, I'm pretty much sticking with it and I am paying to have it professionally produced, so hopefully it will present well.