Negative criticism - it always rips me to shreds.

I think one of the hardest things for me as an author is reading negative reviews. Granted, some negative comments are merited, and I agree with them. For example, when someone points out a typo, bad grammar, etc., well, it's hard to argue that.

But the criticism that really rips me up are the ones full of vitriol. For example, "You're the worst writer in the world!" Some even call me names. "What a jerk! You wasted four hours of my life. You scum!"

That one confuses me, because I keep wondering, "If the book was that bad, why did you keep reading for four hours?" This seems to happen most often on free books, like Kindle KDP or GoodReads. The reader paid nothing, but still demanded Faulkner or Shakespeare. That's a tough room.

My wife sometimes laughs at me when I point out negative reviews or comments online about my books. She'll say, "Why do you keep reading those reviews? You should stop, because it keeps you from writing."

And, of course, she's right. She always is. I can have 100 positive reviews, "Skip, this is the best you've ever written!" or "You're great, great! Keep it up!"

I smile when I read those, but then I inevitably come to the one reviewer (usually with political leanings diametrically opposed to my own) and they rip my work to shreds. At that point I become myopic. All I can think about is that one bad review, and if I'm not careful it shatters my confidence for days.

I'm getting better at it now, but it's still my biggest struggle. One of my friends always calls me tenacious. He says, "Skip, you've been writing for 30 years, but you never give up!"

That's true. I never give up, but ...
When I read the vitriol from total strangers, I just wonder ... should I give up? Is it worth it?

Apparently it is, because I just keep on writing.

God bless.

Skip Coryell