I have heard so many writers say it. "I'm part of the thick skin club!" Which roughly translates to "Give me your worst. I can take it!"
I envy these people. I wish I was so confident. This holds true for every aspect of my life, not just writing. I am far too concerned about being perfect, and small bits of criticism can bring me down in big ways.
Nice post! I had to work on it, too (in writing as well as life). I guess it's just the realization - and acceptance - that not everyone will like (you or) your work . After all, think about all the 'talked about' books you can't stand. In the end, you need to concentrate on the audience interested in your work. Gets us ready for reviews, right? : ) Enjoyed this.
ReplyDeleteGets us ready for reviews, and vague rejections, and editors, and readers who just say, "meh. It's okay, I guess."
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the club, Sam!
I like your website theme, Samanatha. Very eye-catching. Mine's tame in comparison.
ReplyDeleteI consider myself a member of the TSC and am to the point where I relish honest, CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. The key word is "constructive." My reasoning is that someone who takes the time to help me improve my work in any way at least thinks I have the "potential" to become a better writer. That gives me hope that someday I'll be good enough to get published.
One can rationalize that a TSC critiquer at minimum finds something to like in your writing, but they just don't love it, or they at least think it can be improved with the fixes they suggest. So take any critique that contains even one piece of helpful advice as a positive and let your spirit be buoyed by their effort and good intentions.
Good luck writing!
Chris