Why We Offer Feedback (And Why It Matters)

Because your words deserve more than silence

At Lemon Jelly Press, we believe in the power of feedback. Whether it comes from a writing group, a trusted reader, or a small press editor, thoughtful feedback can be one of the most valuable tools a writer receives. It’s not just about making a story better, it’s about being seen.

Because we’ve been there. Submitting your writing into the void, waiting, hoping, and when you finally hear back, it’s either a form rejection or silence. That kind of experience can chip away at your confidence. It can make even the most enthusiastic writers start to doubt whether their voice matters or whether their words are worth sharing.

We want to do things differently. That’s why every time we run one of our flash fiction competitions, we take the time to send personalised, thoughtful feedback to our paid subscribers who enter. It’s not just about what worked or what didn’t. It’s about saying, We see you. We read this carefully. You are a writer, and your work deserves attention.

As Neil Gaiman once said,
“Remember: when people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.”
That’s the balance we try to strike. We don’t pretend to have all the answers. But we do want to help you see your work from a fresh angle, with encouragement and curiosity at the centre.

The Power of Feedback

Writing is often a solitary thing. You sit with your thoughts and try to make sense of them on the page. When someone else reads your work closely and responds with care, it becomes less solitary. It becomes a conversation.

Here’s what feedback can do:

• Help you notice what you’re doing well
  Often, writers focus on what needs improvement. But knowing your strengths is just as important. Are you great at setting a mood? Crafting dialogue? Creating surprising metaphors? We make sure to name those things.

• Gently guide you toward areas of growth
  Maybe the ending needs tightening. Maybe the first line could be stronger. We offer suggestions that are respectful and clear, always remembering that writing is personal and that you get to decide what stays.

• Give you a confidence boost when you need it most
  One of our recent flash winners, Keti Shea, wrote a piece called Girls that was electric with energy and freedom. In our feedback, we told her how her language felt like a bike ride downhill, all speed and hollering and wind. Her piece later went on to be featured in our newsletter and celebrated by readers. That’s the power of knowing your work is seen and valued.

As Zadie Smith puts it,
“The secret to editing your work is simple: you need to become its reader instead of its writer.”
Our feedback is about helping you step into that reader role, with someone else walking alongside you.

Real Feedback

Take Helen Gifford’s flash memoir Air in. Air out. Her piece tackled medical trauma and grief with such a calm, understated power. Our feedback highlighted the rhythmic structure she used and the emotional depth she achieved without overexplaining.

Or Kathryn Rossati’s Air, which used breath and water as a kind of meditation. The feedback she received focused on how effectively she captured sensory experience and invited the reader to float with her.

We hope that these moments of recognition helps writers keep going. It reminds them that their words are working.

Why It Matters

At the end of the day, we offer feedback because we believe in writers. Not just the polished ones. Not just the published ones. All of them. Feedback helps writers grow not just in skill, but in courage. And that’s where real transformation happens.

As Margaret Atwood once said,
“You become a writer by writing. It is a matter of persistence, not talent.”
But persistence needs fuel. And we hope our feedback offers just a little more fuel for the fire.

If you’re a paid subscriber, we’re proud to offer you feedback whenever you enter one of our flash competitions. It’s our way of saying thank you. It’s our way of investing in your words.

If you’re not a paid subscriber yet, and you’d love to get thoughtful, personalised feedback on your work, we’d love to welcome you. We run regular competitions, offer writing resources, and build a space where writers are encouraged, supported, and seen.

Thanks for being here with us. Whether you’re just starting out or writing your twentieth draft, your voice matters. And we can’t wait to read what you write next.