How to Deal with Criticism

[Irene]

Mike wrote: "I've been having some issues with my internet connection, so I've had to use the "new topic" link twice. If this was accidentally reposted, it truly wasn't intentionally. I've read the guidelines o..."

Hi Mike! You need to go share this over in the "SW Blogs" folder (or another suitable area, such as the Advertisements folder). You need to either move the thread or delete this one and create a new one.

[Jessica]

Note: All of the previous comments have been deleted so we can start fresh.

So how about it? How do YOU guys deal with negative criticism on your writing?

[Trisha]

I talk to my hubby about it and he can normally calm me down.

[Jessica]

Aw, well that's a good way to handle it :)

[Jessica]

That's my take on it. There's always room to improve--nobody has ever been the perfect writer.

[Joel]

D.L. wrote: "Very open ended question. If it's criticism of the story (eg: 'I didn't like that the bad guy escaped') I look at that as a personal preference and ignore it. If it is about grammar, spelling or an..."

You can't take it personally. I noticed the other day there is a guy on Goodreads who gives a one-star rating to every book he marks as WANT TO READ. I think he is just clueless as to how the system works.

[Greg]

Hi,

Time. In the end that's the thing which will help you deal best with it. That first one star review is a blood spilling monster. Three four years down the track with scores of reviews under your belt, it's just another review.

Time also lets you distance yourself from the hurt of a review. It gives you perspective. It lets you study the review and decide which parts of it seem fair and which don't.

Cheers, Greg.

[Jessica]

D.L. wrote: "Very open ended question. If it's criticism of the story (eg: 'I didn't like that the bad guy escaped') I look at that as a personal preference and ignore it. If it is about grammar, spelling or an..."

True, always room for improvement. It's sad how some authors can just be so cocky, though, and feel like any criticism is just a personal attack on them.

That's always another issue--there's a difference between constructive criticism and just outright bullying/meanness. The person submitting the review should be aware of what they're saying--and it should all be constructive.

[Philip]

Grammar comments I can try and fix and now invest in pro-editing. Other negative comments are harder, but they are the reader's opinion. I had one in a review complaining about the complexity of the story when the blurb has a complex... Since having that book re-edited, the feedback from the editor was that I had overdone it a bit. So I adjusted slightly. The sequel, out with Beta readers, is less complex I think. So I have learnt from the criticism even if it was not a concious decision whilst writing.

The ratings system always leads to extensive discussion especially the multi-one star from some readers who use that to catalogue not review. Frustrating for the writer but... it's called GoodReads not GoodWriters and the ratings rules are the rules; however they are used.

[Tim]

How to deal with negative criticism?

Sit back and wait for the next glowing review :-)

Seriously - I look at it very carefully. If I think it might be correct I'll ask a trusted friend to comment, but never change what you do for ONE person. If it's just one person then either everyone else is lying to you (or being 'kind') or he/she could be just plain wrong.

Listen honestly - trust your own judgement.

[Ingrid, Just another writer.]

Finally, a question that has dawned me for my whole [writing] life experiences:

Firstly, I know I'm not the best of writers. I have to admonish this in my head repetitively as I allow random strangers to peruse my miscellaneous works. This critique experience happened to me just days ago, when my English teacher had assigned us a 5-page essay and we, the students, were forced to peer-edit. One girl found just about 'everything' wrong with my infallible writing, while another boy was honest, but constructive in his advice. What I suggest is to first find people who will give you both positive and negative reviews, people who you trust. Those reviews will calm you down, instead of the negative ones that we'll all see at least once in our lifetimes. And when you can accept all critique, without the 'slightest' bit of anger, or grief, or frustration, or panickyness (yes i just installed a new word. Swerve) then the negative comments, you might find, will be actually more helpful. As I call it, 'Read between the lines':)

[Jessica]

Tim wrote: "How to deal with negative criticism?

Sit back and wait for the next glowing review :-)

Seriously - I look at it very carefully. If I think it might be correct I'll ask a trusted friend to comment..."

Completely true. Feedback is always suggested, and I think that a lot of people forget that. The criticism (hopefully constructive) is there to suggest what you should do, but you don't have to force yourself to do it.

For example, if a reviewer criticizes a certain character's action in a certain chapter and thinks you should change it, but you feel strongly about that piece and don't want to change it at all, you don't have to.

Granted, a reviewer IS a reader and if a reader isn't liking something in your book, that may not go over so well because that means a majority of other readers may not be happy with it either. But if it's a piece you feel strongly about and don't think you should change, don't--it's simple. :)