My Index Card Method of Using Feedback
A cool way to consider, organize, and make use of reader suggestions so they work for your writing
What’s new in my writing room: I was interviewed on about 35 podcasts during the promotion of my last two novels. One interview just got released:
’s show, Talking Writing, where we talked about finding connection through fiction. I share the logistics of publishing, what it was like to work with a marketing coach, and how I transitioned from professional food writing to novels and short stories. Worth a listen. You can hear the episode here.
Often, despite years of receiving feedback, I get overwhelmed with the suggestions of my good readers. Lucky me, of course, to have such good readers—my writing partner, my writers group, class workshopping groups. Mostly, the comments are excellent, insightful, and useful.
But I don’t always come away feeling lucky or gung-ho to use them. Mostly, I have to let the feedback sit for days or a week or even a month before I figure out how to proceed.
Worst case, the ideas are so radical, they cause an upheaval in my view of the story or book in progress. I have to totally reorient. I have to take time to feel the changes and what they mean to my vision of the piece of writing.
Have you been there? If yes, read on. Because I have a cool system, developed out of pain and misery and a strong desire to move forward despite all of it.
Feedback pros and woes
Not all feedback slays me. Sometimes, I’ll get just the right key to unlock a problem I haven’t been able to solve. This happens in my writing group so often, as we discuss an issue and the other writers share feedback then help with problem solving. I personally think the biggest woe in receiving feedback is that it points out problems that create more problems without offering any help in solving them.
I have enough experience with workshopping to know not all the feedback I get is relevant—I have to sift out those reader responses that are more personal opinions that are relevant to their writing, not mine. In a class, feedback is moderated by the instructor. In writing groups, we are the only guardians of our creative boundaries.
I feel so happy when a suggestion feels right, even if I’m stumped as to how to solve the problem at that moment. It sparks my enthusiasm for the story. I see possibilities instead of deadends. And that beautiful bonus can then happen: we can get into brainstorming next steps on how I can use the ideas.
Time brings perspective
A writer often needs time to gain the new perspective that feedback offers. I might initially reject an idea (too much work, totally off track for what I’m trying to do). But after some time passes and I read the notes again, it opens doors. Time has softened my hold on the writing. I am willing to consider new ideas to strengthen the story.
So, time is my biggest gift to myself when I’ve received feedback. As long as it doesn’t become sheer avoidance, time allows me to mellow any sting or overwhelm from the comments. I go from “You mean it’s not perfect!!?” to “Yeah, that’s a cool idea I might try.”
Writers use all kinds of techniques to help gain this perspective, to get enough distance to really appreciate what they receive from readers.
Index card technique
The technique I use with index cards requires me to manually translate the feedback into my own language. As I do this, I sift out what doesn’t (yet) make sense to me. It’s also designed to slow the process, which gives me that needed time.
I only use the index cards when I’m either overwhelmed with or dismayed by feedback. Even if it sounds good, nothing in me jumps into making changes. After a few days, I wonder why not, and I usually get that flat feeling of overwhelm. I just don’t know how to work my way through the comments and use them.
I might stare at the pages, rework some low-risk areas I know need attention, yet have no clue how to approach the bigger problems the feedback addressed.
I find this method especially helpful when I get a lot of concentrated feedback. For instance, from my editor or agent. Or beta readers who are commenting on a whole manuscript. If you’re just reading feedback for a short piece, you may not need the distance and perspective the index cards provide.
I’ve simplified the technique into six steps.
Six steps
These are the steps I use. Take whichever makes sense to you right now. I found them so helpful, especially lately when I’ve been getting massive feedback on another manuscript. After I let the feedback sit for a while, I begin the steps and get some great ideas to fix holes.
So use them when when grappling with radical critique--changes you know have worth but will twist your book into a new shape.
Please know this is not busywork, to do the steps below, even though it may seem like it. It takes time and slows down the reactive brain, which is just what the writer usually needs to really consider the changes. You can do these steps electronically, of course, but I find the slowness of writing by hand in my writer’s notebook gives me even more of that precious perspective.
You’ll need a package of 4” x 6” blank index cards to try this exercise.
Step 1
Go through the feedback. Print it out if you can. Highlight or underline the main suggestions—not typos or praise or small fixes you can easily make.
When two readers repeat the same suggestion, star these (more than one person mentioning the same problem means it's a big problem, usually).
Step 2
From the highlighted suggestions, make a list. I call this my “Changes to Consider” list. I usually hand write it, but you can do it electronically, of course. I hand write because it's all too easy to go fast and skip over comments I can’t imagine implementing.
Try to end up with a list of the major changes you have to think about more, do research around, or make other changes to accommodate.
Step 3
Write each suggestion on the top of its own index card.
Suggestions from a recent feedback session for my short-story collection included:
Something wonky about the timeline here—fix?
I’d like to know more about her reason for choosing this. Add backstory?
Where are we right now? Clarify the staging.
I would write the actual comment on the card if it wasn’t too long—otherwise, I’d just abbreviate in my own words.
Step 4
For each idea, brainstorm three questions. Some examples might be:
If I read back, where exactly does the timeline fall apart and why—what’s missing to ground the reader (another scene, more backstory, more placement in setting)?
If I show the character’s backstory here, how does that impact the reveal later?
How much and what kind of setting details are needed in this scene?
Why questions? I find these start the creative process inside. Ideas begin coming when I write problem as questions, rather than just as problem statements, which often discourage my creativity.
The Inner Critic can heighten its activity at this point, though. It can help to touch in with a writing friend who loves your work and knows your manuscript.
I also sleep on it. I don’t force this step. It’s probably the most valuable one.
Step 5
Now triage your cards. Organize them by severity of task—revisions that will take no time, now that you’ve figured out how to do them from your questions, versus revisions that will ricochet throughout the manuscript. Smallest changes go on top of your index card stack, larger ones on the bottom.
Step 6
Each day or writing session, choose two cards with small changes (from the top of your stack) and one card with a large change from the bottom. Work on the small changes first that day. There’s great relief in getting something done. The larger change may not be able to be finished that writing session. If so, put the card back in the stack. Any cards that get finished—the changes made to your satisfaction—get set aside.
Some writers first sort the cards by chapter or scene where the problem appears. If this works for you, do it before you begin revising. Have a stack for each chapter or scene and tackle them one at a time.
Sometimes this causes changes in other chapters too. Create new cards for these and add them to the stack for that chapter. That way you won’t lose track of ideas that emerge—so easy to do, especially with a longer work. You may, though, find some chapters aren’t affected.
Bite-sized bits
The value of still having the cards at this last step is big: The mind gets linear with lists but stays loose with cards. If you choose two cards to work on and you can’t proceed—you get stuck, no ideas come—just put those cards back in the stack and choose other ones.
I love this method because it turns the revision process into bite-sized bits. A huge task is broken into manageable steps that can each be achieved in several hours to several days.
It always gives me confidence in the story again. As I make the changes, I begin to see that my readers were right and I'm very glad I listened. Most times, the new version is incredibly stronger. In plot, in character motive, in every way.
Revising from feedback often became a task that I'd put off for months. Now it’s accomplished in days or weeks.
Your Weekly Writing Exercise
Get yourself to an office supply store and find a package of index cards this week. Take that feedback that’s been languishing and begin the steps above.
Share what you learn or any questions!
Shout Out!
I want to offer a hearty shout out to my writing friends and former students who are publishing their books, and encourage you subscribers to pre-order or order a copy to show your support of fellow writers and our writing community. So if you’re a former student and will publish soon (pre-orders of your book are available now) or have in the past two months, email me at mary[at]marycarrollmoore[dot]com to be included in a future Shout Out! I’ll keep your listing here for two months.
I’m a lifelong artist, and I love to inspire and support other creative folk, which is why I write this weekly newsletter. My goal with these posts is to help you strengthen your writing practice and creative life so it becomes more satisfying to you.
I’m also the author of 15 books in 3 genres. My third novel, Last Bets (Riverbed Press), was published in April, after becoming an Amazon bestseller during pre-orders. My second novel, A Woman’s Guide to Search & Rescue, was published in October 2023 and also became an Amazon bestseller and Hot New Release from pre-orders. For twelve years, I worked as a full-time food journalist, most notably through my weekly column for the Los Angeles Times syndicate. My writing-craft book, Your Book Starts Here, won the New Hampshire Literary Awards “People’s Choice” in 2011 and my first novel, Qualities of Light, was nominated for PEN/Faulkner and Lambda Literary awards in 2009. I’ve written Your Weekly Writing Exercise every Friday since 2008.
Post-its attached to the manuscript work well for me - instead of index cards. They show where to make the change so I can jump right in.