By Christopher Patterson

We want to be liked. We want our work to be good. We want positive feedback. We want acknowledgment and a good pat on the back. When someone doesn’t like our work, its almost offensive. But, you know what, that is how we get better.

Artists have to be fans of criticism. We must crave it. How else can we grow? This is truest for the self-published author. We don’t have the resources trade-pub authors have. We need our fans and readers to tell us what we’re doing right… and what we’re doing wrong.

The quickest way to alienate yourself as a writer is to push back against constructive criticism. Throw the nasty stuff away. Don’t listen to people who are just being mean. But if someone is genuinely giving you feedback, listen — even if you might not want to hear it. More often than not, it makes you a better writer. If it’s a 2-star review on Amazon, read what they have to say without commenting. If someone is speaking to you face to face, don’t say anything. An email? Reply “thank you.” We live in a world of instant gratification. As an author, nothing is instant. Understand why our teachers made us do rough drafts all the time, as painful as they were. It’s because our first draft is never our best. It needs work. Rework. Guess what? More work. So many self-pub authors argue criticism. Don’t. Listen to what people are saying. Most of it will probably be really helpful. I know craving criticism, and listening, has really helped me.

Christopher Patterson is a teacher in the Vail School District and a best selling author on Amazon. You can learn more about Christopher by going to his website: www.christopher-patterson.com

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