I'm discussing real, actual criticism, not trolls. I don't know how they get wifi underneath their bridges. I'm not talking about the nose-in-the-air ‘critics’ putting you down so that people will pay attention to them instead. Those people are assholes. They are not true critics who are studying the story or art that you created.
Real criticism is always done with the critic’s mind on how the work could be improved. I think why it stings so much after a work has been presented is because it’s too late to go back and make those awesome changes. But that doesn't mean it isn't valuable. It’s certainly a learning lesson for the next project.
This is also why I don’t hold back when proofreading or reviewing someone else’s work before it goes public. The more I like it, the more vicious I am. That’s my warning: I like your story, so I didn't hold back.
Everyone wants to be liked, so it’s hard not to take criticism personally. If a person is truly critiquing the work, they’re focused on the piece, not you. People will put you down personally if they can’t find a solid foothold to critique the work. But for writers and artists, the line between professional and personal doesn’t really exist. One does not call the child he raised his most professional accomplishment, but all stories and art are our babies in a way. The idea has to gestate, has to be nurtured, has to take those first baby steps, and yes, has to stumble and fall to learn how to do things properly.
So the next time you get back a piece of paper with more notes and red ink on it than black, remember, it’s all done with the goal of helping you out.
I agree and I also figure some of it just stems from a book not being a reader's cup of tea. It's nice when someone does provide honest, useful feedback. That's how we learn.
ReplyDeleteit is hard to take criticism, especially when you've put so many hours into the work. Most of the time we can take it - we know that it's going to improve the story. The only time we can't is when the darkshines have hit then any criticism, no matter how minor, makes us feel like the whole thing is utter crap and we're tempted to scrap the whole thing and start again. That's happened probably into double figures with the damn ghost stories :D
ReplyDeleteBut ultimately, nobody would improve without criticism and the goal is to improve as writers. There's always more to learn.
I think that's why it's easier to take criticism from sources you know, or sources who have authority in the field in which you're writing.
ReplyDeleteThen again, there are always trolls. I don't count them as critics, no matter what they say they are. I tend to view those comments as either stemming from ignorance, or the story really touched on an emotional note for them that they were not ready to deal with, so they just lash out. And that, is actually a backhanded compliment (as well as possibly an actual backhand).
Thanks, Wendy, Cat & Lynx!
CL, I love your guys' work.