Let's talk about a topic that's sometimes sensitive for us writers: reviews. And I mean reviews here, like comments on your work in general, not critique given by critics or professional... you know, reviewer-persons, or notes made by editors. I mean just reviews in general.
I'm going to start with two broad points: one, if you put stock in your best review, then you have to acknowledge your worst review. Two, if you're really about writing the story... then don't worry about good or bad reviews. Just focus on the story.
Now let's break things down a little. First of all, that doesn't mean I'm saying "u r returded" is the worst review. Just like "U R BEST EVAR~" is not going to be your actual best review. I'm saying that if you believe all the positive aspects - IE, "you have really flowing imagery" - then you have to believe it when someone says something like: "you really, really need to work on your overall pacing." You can't just pick and choose, especially because... you're going to be tempted to. And I don't just mean pick certain good things over bad things. Sometimes, you might find you write something you don't think much of or need some help with, and someone might say to you, "no this is really good and I liked it," and for no... truly explainable reason, you'll be mad about it, whether it's a lame reassurance or honest answer.
This leads into the second part. Acknowledge your reviewers, good and bad. Appreciate what they're doing, even the ones who are just trying to be mean and stupid, because... you're still affecting them on such a level that it's getting a reaction. They're still taking - or wasting - time out of their day to send you some response, some message, which... yes, it can make you feel bad, but it's also self-defeating. I mean, some of my most amusing reviews are "I READ YOUR STORY AND I HATED IT." And I mean. So, you picked up this book you claim to have hated, and you read the whole damn thing, and now you're telling me you hated it? But also going through it bit-by-bit, trying to tell me everything wrong with it... which just tells me you didn't just skim it, you actually read every single page?
Yes. Clearly you must hate it. You most definitely aren't just whimpering like a little kicked bitch because the story ended up taking a turn you don't like or even worse, made you feel things.
Okay, okay, Luna's. Giving me a look. It's an amused look, but it's also a look that tells me if I keep going like this it's going to incite her into saying nasty things herself. Or worse. Or come over here and. Do awkward things to me. She likes it when I'm mean to people, it's very awkward.
Anyway. This leads into my second point. Focus on the story: even if you're looking for feedback, even if you have points where you want to ask for the opinions of others or need some input from... a group, a partner, a random pony... still, keep your eyes on the paper and write the story. And try and remember one important thing: no matter how good a writer you are, no matter how skilled you are, not everyone is going to like your writing, and different people will always have different expectations. You could write the greatest narrative ever and if someone doesn't like narratives, they probably won't like your story, no matter how fantastic the imagery, or intriguing the plot, or verbose the vocabulary.
Write your story for yourself, at the end of the day. Do what you have to do, and follow the plotline you want to, without worrying about... what other people are going to think of it, without trying to please people. Because there's no such thing as a story everyone is going to like, and there's no such thing as a story that's without flaw, and yet... those things shouldn't ever hinder or stop you from trying to write your story, the way you want to. Don't let yourself be influenced one way or another when you've got a focus on a story, by good or bad: just write it out the way it wants to be written, and worry about everything else when the time comes. There's no such thing as a 'bad' story: do it the right way, learn how to tweak things here and there, and there'll always be someone who's going to enjoy it.
~Scrivener Blooms
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