How do you keep writing after your work’s been criticized? In today’s podcast, I’m going to share 5 mindset shifts to help you not only survive harsh feedback, but come back writing stronger than ever.
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Big Takeaways
Every writer worth his or her salt has faced scathing criticism. [01:50]
Yes, even the greats, like Hemingway and Nabokov have had their now masterpiece books slaughtered by critics. It’s impossible to put yourself out there without sometimes facing unkind feedback.
Choose your trusted readers. [04:36]
Your best readers don’t just ferret out flaws, they intuit what your story’s striving to become. They give you suggestions on how you can bring your work to its highest version. They open you up to your work’s possibilities.
Become your own best editor. [05:41]
Clarify your highest intentions for this story. Then ask yourself where you think it’s working. Where is it falling short? Where is the work vague, confusing, illogical or sluggish? Putting your own critical eye to your pages makes you an active participant, not just in the critique of the story at hand, but in your development as a writer.
Keep a beginner’s mind. [06:58]
Stay curious and receptive to making your story its best version. Think of your writer’s group or workshop as your laboratory.
Drop your vanity. [10:28]
Don’t expect your work in progress to be a done deal. Do expect that it might need at least some improvement.
Give yourself permission to fail. [12:07]
Better yet, realize that there’s no such thing as failure. There’s only giving up. Remember, you’re always on the brink of your next breakthrough. Keep writing.