Should you find a wise critic to point out your faults, follow him
as you would a guide to a hidden treasure.
—
Buddha
Taking criticism is more of an art form than a science.
I'd be lying if I said, I loved to be criticised but have matured enough to understand that when that critique comes from particular quarters, I can confidently say it was meant to make me a better person or a better writer. Perfecting that art isn't easy and is not straight forward. You can forget too, that not a lot
of people have mastered the skill, as I found out to my detriment a few days ago.
A Facebook friend of mine - ex-friend I think after our bust-up, was working on a Sci-Fi extravaganza all 1509 pages of it and asked me to read and provide feedback on his tome. This was his second version. I read the first three chapters of his 81 chapter opus, and I just couldn't go on. I painfully read some chapters from the middle and the end but it was evident to me, this needed some serious
work. I volunteered to help him sort out the myriad problems his work was suffering from, and that's when he lost all sense of reason. He wanted me to read the entire book no matter what my feelings for it were and magically dismiss how I felt about it. And for a second I remembered I had the same reaction years ago when an agent was critiquing my work. And I understood where he was coming from. But you have to teach yourself the art of criticism if you want to get to the next level.
It was Aristotle who said; there is only one way to avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing and be nothing.
Just remember it takes experience, practice, and a particular mindset to use it to your advantage. It will be uncomfortable at first, but it's a part of the process
