Feedback.

The word "Feedback" has really helped in reshaping, encouraging and criticising the works of some people. Before I delve in further, let's look at its meaning.

...information about reactions to a product, a person's performance of a task, etc. which is used as a basis for improvement.

Wikipedia

Honestly speaking, i doubt if there's a person that doesn't like to be given feedbacks.

You know that feeling of constantly posting on your Facebook page, WhatsApp status and yet no single reply or comment as regards what you posted. Everyone just seems to be viewing and passing. No words like:

Oh!, This is a great writeup,

Or...

You tried, but next time do this and this so it'll come out better.

Nothing!. Like nothing, nobody seems to pick interest in what you wrote about, no concern, it'll look like you didn't do it well and that can actually be depressing.

For people like me: "it's enough to reduce my self-esteem." I will suddenly start feeling no confidence in what I wrote about. And sometimes it might lead me into abandoning my pen for a very long time.

I was chatting with a girl yesterday, she told me a story from her experience; how she was always writing on her Facebook page but no one seemed to pay attention or show concern to her write-ups. She got frustrated and stopped.

One day, she met an elderly woman who she was quite familiar with on the road. This woman who was also this lady's friend on Facebook told her on that very day:

The woman: I love reading your write-ups alot, they are really beautiful, don't give up, just keep writing okay.

This lady was shocked after hearing this from a person she would have never thought of if they were to ask her about who she thinks; reads her posts.

When she got back home, she logged into her Facebook account, went directly to her timeline to search her post and the names of all those people who reacts on her posts, she actually didn't see this woman's name...

Like, the woman didn't even leave a reaction, let alone leaving a comment, but according to the woman "she likes reading this lady's writeups."

The truth is that, people are watching. That beautiful dress you sew, that lovely portrait you drew, that awesome poem you wrote, that touching live session you hosted...

They are watching, but most of them, if not all are "Ghost Admirers."

They admire you secretly, but restrain from giving feedbacks or constructive criticism.

It's just like sewing a dress for a customer and all the customer does is to pay and leave. There might be an uncertainty in your credibility. You might be left wondering:

• Does she like it?

• Is she happy with the dress?

• Would she come back?

• Is there any complaint?.

But how would you know, when the customer didn't give feedbacks?.

There was a time like that, I had written a complete story on my WhatsApp status and added some questions regarding the story, at the end.

What was I expecting?

The comments and answers from the people who viewed and prolly read the story. But, nothing, like nothing, it was only my mum and a girl that reacted, they didn't even respond to the question I asked. I was downcast, after that day I gave up on posting on WhatsApp for awhile until another day when a lady on my contact list messaged me; telling me she loves my poems and I shouldn't give up.

I was taken by surprise because I hadn't posted in a long while, but here she was; telling me not to relent. This was someone who had actually never commented on any of my poems in time past.

Her feedback that day, kept me going for a long while.

There are Ghost Admirers.

But people need to learn that feedbacks are necessary, it helps:

• In building one's confidence.

• Strengthening the part where one is weak.

• Making one aware of one's mistakes.

• It makes a person Happy: I'm always happy whenever I see comments on my post on read.cash, I'm always happy when a person replies to my WhatsApp status. There's this joy I feel inside of me whenever I see that people actually engaged in my articles, poems or writing in general.

• A person to make amends at areas where need be.

• A person to know that they are not alone and that people actually do care about them.

Writers don't write for themselves, they write for people to read, so imagine writing a whole article or poem and no one engages on it?.

Fashion designers don't sew clothes for themselves alone, they also sow for their customers, imagine sowing and then no feedback whatsoever?.

Or imagine leading a praise song in church; dancing with all vibrancy and yet the congregation keeps moving a step at a time with boredom written all over their faces?.

And the list continues....

It's bad, so bad not to give feedbacks.

So many talents have been put to waste, all because they thought no one was watching or no one cares.

All because they thought they are not good enough or they felt they did trash.

People's feedbacks and just the feeling that people are actually reading/watching/viewing has really helped me alot.

It does help alot, especially at the beginners stage.

In essence, let's learn to give feedbacks, even if it's once in awhile.

If you like or admire something or a person's performance, learn to speak, say it. Two minutes of your time; spent in appreciating the work of a person is really worth it.

• "Oh! I love this,it's beautiful."

• "Wow! This was inspiring."

• "I feel you could do more better at this point."

• "I don't think you should have used that phrase, this phrase would have been better."

These...and many more have saved a lot of talents from going into waste.

If you feel, there are some errors, still give feedbacks and give constructive criticism. Tell it wisely, in a polite way to the person, so the person can correct his/herself.

Till we meet again in my next article and in yours.

Thanks for reading.