Why You Need Criticism to Become a Better Writer
(The criticisms I am talking about here are constructive criticism and subjective feedback.)
We all have blind spots in our writing. Have you ever noticed, as a writer, that you often fail to see fault in your own writing? Writing is like a part of yourself. And as a member of mankind, you have biases and limitations in your perspective. You cannot see all the faults you have by yourself. That is where the importance of criticism comes in.
But first read a story-
“My papers were always returned covered with a great deal of red ink to display suggested revisions and corrections. As the weeks went by, I became convinced that I may have made a great mistake to embark on doctoral study, and that I was surely imposing on the professor’s patience since he had to spend so much time to respond to my papers. With great embarrassment, I went to his office hours to report that I was planning to drop the course since I seemed not to be doing well. To my amazement, he explained that he was spending so much time giving feedback and corrections on my paper because he felt I had “solid potential,” and that I should stay in the course, study his corrections on each sentence, and use the feedback to improve each subsequent paper”
- ‘Becoming a Writer’ by Dr. Ann E. Austin.
What did you learn? After I had read this text, I got a sudden revelation that people do not pay attention to you unless they hate or like you. The people who criticize you either hate or like your writing. They either do not want your wellness or they expect something good from you. This story teaches us that criticism can come from various motives — some critics may genuinely want to see us succeed, while others may criticize out of dislike or jealousy.
So how do you tackle criticism?
- You have to remember all criticisms are not equal. You have to distinguish constructive feedback from negativity or personal attacks. Focus on feedback that is specific, actionable, and offered with the intention to help you improve.
- Don’t take criticism personally. Remember, it’s about your writing, not you as a person.
- If something is unclear, don’t hesitate to ask for more details or specific examples.
- Evaluate the expertise and credibility of the person offering feedback. Not all opinions are equal.
- Don’t get bogged down in defending yourself. Instead, try to understand the underlying message and see how it can help you grow.
- Don’t feel obligated to implement every suggestion. Use feedback as a starting point for your own reflection and improvement.
Overall, criticism is a great tool for your improvement. Take note, it’s a tool. By acknowledging our blind spots and taking care of feedback with discernment and openness, we can use the great power of critique to refine our writing and make our writing better and better.
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