tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-346776377530772867.post8909531116901070175..comments2023-12-03T03:16:19.724-08:00Comments on Adventures in the Writing Life: Dealing with Criticismsgh79http://www.blogger.com/profile/11216386119969803959noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-346776377530772867.post-13616603591403254342010-10-31T05:42:05.470-07:002010-10-31T05:42:05.470-07:00I don't believe that either negative or constr...I don't believe that either negative or constructive criticism is appropriate. As writers we know many of our faults and don't need others to point them out to us. Writers need encouragement and support. When you write something, I suggest you ask yourself two questions:<br /><br />1) What do I like about the piece of writing? (Most people focus on the negative and the things they did wrong. Focus on what you did right?)<br /><br />2) What do I think I should do differently? (Focus on how to improve something and make it better, not on what is wrong. )<br /><br />If you have to have feedback from someone else who is also a writer, ask a variation of these same two questions.<br /><br />1. What did you like about this piece of writing? (Get the critic to focus on the positive.)<br /><br />2. What should I do differently to make it better? (Again, focus the critic on positive changes you can make. Many people can tell what is wrong with something, but few can tell you how to improve. If the critic cannot tell you how to improve something, then don't listen.)<br /><br />People who don't write have no idea what it takes to sit down and put words on paper so why should we listen to their negative comments. Many times it is about taste. One of the most famous American novels is Moby Dick. I have attempted to read it four times and have never finished it. I don't like it and find it boring. Does that make it a bad novel? No. It is just one person's opinion.<br /><br />Once by accident, I sent out a poem to two different magazines. One magazine rejected it and the other accepted it.<br /><br />The key is to believe in yourself and your work. Don't let the critics dishearten you.hkinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16296312618266909443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-346776377530772867.post-26768451083152013582010-10-30T19:14:25.847-07:002010-10-30T19:14:25.847-07:00Yeah, that is a tough situation to be put in on bo...Yeah, that is a tough situation to be put in on both sides. A lot of people don't know how to take criticism at all and were actually expecting you to love their creation as much as they did and not say anything negative. If you don't, they can get so angry with you that they don't want to talk to you anymore just because you were being honest!<br /><br />I think it is important to give your opinion with tact, but all writers need to learn to take criticism. Even the best authors have their critics. Like StacyW said, sometimes it's the criticism we need in order to understand what's not working from that other perspective.<br /><br />I also think if you just don't personally like the book, and it's not the specific style, plot, or structure that's missing, it's best important to say so the author/friend doesn't receive the wrong message.Jamie Fuchshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16646399637533078978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-346776377530772867.post-57032166641796904162010-10-27T12:43:25.543-07:002010-10-27T12:43:25.543-07:00That's a tough one for all involved. It's ...That's a tough one for all involved. It's tough for the person asked to give the criticism AND the person who's going to receive it. But as long as the criticism is constructive, it could wind up being very helpful for the writer. When I sent the first draft of my novel out to beta readers (who were all also friends), the feedback I received wasn't all positive. And personally, honestly, I was happy about that. I felt like my readers were being real with me. I knew I hadn't achieved perfection in round 1, and it's been their feedback - both the positive and the negative - that's fueled my revisions and helped me know what to do to make the book better.<br /><br />That's probably, like you said, the single toughest part of being a creative professional - our work is often public, which leaves it open to public criticism. When working in news full-time, I used to joke that you never knew how many people were actually reading your stuff until you made a mistake. ;-)StaceyWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12230362072587995336noreply@blogger.com