CRITIQUE & REVIEWS Hey writer, do you know that successful people tend to look at criticism as currency? Or as useful feedback to extract data from? And no, that doesn’t mean that all criticism is valid. It goes without saying that the word criticism in itself has a negative connotation. It…

CRITIQUE & REVIEWS Hey writer, do you believe that critique makes you stronger? Most of us could share quite a few stories about the criticism we’ve received in our days and the mark it left on our psyche. We all know it can leave us feeling weak, misunderstood, and vulnerable,…

CRITIQUE & REVIEWS Do you know why it hurts? Criticism stings, and it can sting even more for writers as it relates to something we made. Something that may be deeply personal, or that we feel very protective of. But then again, as Aristotle taught us: “Criticism is something you…

CRITIQUE & REVIEWS Not all feedback is valid. I can’t stress this enough, so I’ll say it again: Not all feedback is valid!  As I’ve mentioned before, people can’t help themselves. They just love to dish out criticism for all sorts of reasons, whether they know what they’re talking about…

CRITIQUE & REVIEWS No love, you’re not alone - we all get bad reviews. Every single storyteller, every single creator, gets bad reviews. Granted, some get more than others, but generally speaking, we all get our confidences knocked down a peg or two every now and then. But it doesn’t…

CRITIQUE & REVIEWS Once upon a time I used to love reading the reviews in The Sunday Times. It was my most precious indulgence as a poor single mum living in the north of Sweden. I’d pick up the thick envelope from my newsagents on Wednesdays and put it aside…

HEY WRITER, do you know when you need to pay attention to negative feedback? And, by extension, when you should just ignore it? “Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and…

HEY WRITER, have ever you been a critique partner? Maybe a member of a writing group? Or, my personal nightmare, had friends and/or family ask you to give them feedback on something they wrote? After all the posts about being on the receiving end of criticism, today, I want to…