The Joy of Positive Feedback By KL Forslund (@KLForslund)

As everybody with an electric guitar does, I taught myself to play the Star Spangled Banner. Then I lugged my amp out to the driveway, and at the height of the local fireworks show in the neighborhood, I played it cranked up to eleven. The music reverberated in my bones and I could feel it in my chest. To finish the piece as the notes tumbled through my fingers and into the strings, I stepped closer to the amp and the magic moment happened. When the notes from the amp resonated in the strings and the body of the guitar, the universe opened up and for a moment, I became the god of heavy metal. Working the whammy bar stretched it out to a screeching crescendo. Then it was done. The perfect moment of instrument, music, and feedback completed. I think a neighbor clapped. My ears might have been ringing.

Of Course We Want Some

Ignoring the old sourpuss who doesn’t care what people think is easy. That guy wouldn’t be saying that if he didn’t want feedback. See how it works. We’re wired for it. There’s science buttons inside of us that get pressed when others notice what a good boy we are. I think we get a little lopsided in how we treat those buttons. Like it’s a sin to press them or the only game in town. Perhaps a bit of both is true.

Set the EQ

It’d be shallow to seek out compliments all day. I’m pretty sure someone like that would fall prey to empty sycophants and yes-men. In equal measure, I’d worry about somebody who can’t accept some praise. Life is hard, and sometimes your work stands out. Pause and warm yourself to the spark that somebody else got from you and amplified it back to you.

Made to be Heard

Every now and then, somebody tells me they liked something I wrote. It made them laugh, cry or think. That warms the cockles of my crusty heart. I write to affect people. If I only wrote for myself, I’d keep a diary. I don’t understand writers who say otherwise. You mean you spent time making a manuscript, editing, publishing, and it wasn’t meant to be read. Bull cookies.

A man making noise in a place where people can hear him, means to be heard. So we all want to know if it worked.

Make a Joyful Noise

I know somebody will find a mistake I made. And they’ll tell me. Somedays, it seems like more people are doing that than saying what they like. The world might be a better place if we all paused to tell somebody we liked their work. Not just the fancy pants big folks everybody clicks the like and adds a comment. But the little guys. That indie author would love to know you liked their book. The kid at the sub shop who feels like part of a replaceable part of the machine might like to know the sandwich they made tastes great. If you ever notice how often you don’t say anything, those silences could be filled with a good word or two.

Maybe you’ll feel it in your chest, like I did. Feedback is a circle.

If you liked this piece, please follow KL Forslund on Twitter @KLForslund.