Literally Aspiring discussion

This folder is pretty self-explanatory. Just post any thoughts, questions, debates or anything that could get a conversation going.

This is a place for sharing opinions, so no rants, diatribes and tirades. Basically if it starts sounding like your memoirs or a manifesto, you should probably start a blog and advertize it in our Soapbox folder.

Otherwise let's wag some tongues and try not to eat one another.

A writer, like any other artist, must possess a strong ego. I do not mean conceit; there is a distinct difference. The dictionary defines ego as "the self as distinguished from others".
The only problem with having a stong ego is that the possessor tends to be extremely sensitive to negative criticism.

It is quite natural to anticipate praise and appreciation for something we have dedicated a lot of time and effort to produce. However, we must be prepared for the opposite reaction.

The lesson to be derived from criticism, whether it be constructive, positive, negative, or downright hurtful, is that it is just an opinion; and one opinion is as good as another.

We must learn from every criticism and become better at whatever we do. That's my opinion. What's yours?

Jim wrote: "one opinion is as good as another."

I can't agree. Some reviews are thoughtful and intelligent, and some reviews are simply idiotic. Writers need to have thick skin, of course, and while I agree that we can learn something worthwhile from some reviews, some others are of value only as toilet paper.

I can't necessarily say that I agree with that assessment. I find it very rare that someone hates a book for the sake of hating a book. If they dislike it, they often have a reason for doing so, and their reason is valid.

If they hate the book because they don't like you as an author or person? Valid. If they hate your book because they think your writing is boring/offensive/poor/etc? Valid. If they hate your books because it was poorly bound and fell apart in their hands? Valid.

That being said, I agree that a thick skin is necessary. I might hate your book and think your characters suck and your plot is convoluted and your concept is weak, but your book might change someone's life.

Case in point: I despise Wuthering Heights as I find it infuriating and depressing, but others hold it in high regard and find deeper meaning in the letters and symbols.

To each their own.