Write and wrong by Timothy O. Goyette

Everyone has things they like and dislike about books, stories, movies, etc.  We are all unique and have our own tastes.  A reviewer in a writing group once told me that they didn’t like one of my short stories because there was a character in there who referred to themselves in the third person.  That is a perfectly valid response.  If was how they felt about the story.

As writers we have to come to grips that some things we write in our work will be loved by some and hated by other.  It doesn’t mean that our choices are right or wrong and we don’t have to please everyone.  In fact, that effort will lead to madness, or at least some anger.

As authors, one of our goals is to please ourselves.  If we write stuff we don’t’ like in the hopes that others will, we will not be happy as writers.   This can be taken to an extreme, where the author feels that what they have written is good no matter how many people have told them there works have problems.

The best way to take criticism is with an open mind.  Don’t dismiss it out of hand or feel that we must rewrite based upon one comment.  Think about it, try to see how a change will affect the story.  Many times feedback has taken me in new bold directions that were sparked by comment.

Above all, keep writing.

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