How to Respond to Criticism

I know it's Spring Cleaning time around here, but I have something I need to get off my mind. Hey, I guess it fits the theme, after all!

Listen authors, we gotta talk. Bad reviews and other forms of criticism can hurt. Whether you haven't even finished your first manuscript or you have published eight thousand books, you're going to receive criticism.

Like, a lot.


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Whether it's that guy in your MFA class, a member of your critique group, an agent offering precious feedback, an editor declining to publish your work, or a reviewer commenting on a published work, you're going to get a lot of it.

Some of it really is nonsensical and may have more to do with the reader's problems than the writing. Some of it is going to click right away. But most of it? You're going to think it's all shades of idiotic and undeserved, but sometime later (maybe years?) you're going to realize your critic had a point.

Though it may feel like it, criticism about your writing is not a personal attack. Someone saying they don't like (parts of) your book is not bullying. The info here does not pertain to actual personal attacks where the person has some kind of power over you. If you think you might want to contact the police or a lawyer, do that. Don't tweet about it, just do it. Personal attacks and actual bullying are a different issue. But in the heat of critique, it is very often difficult to realize the difference, and many authors have misconstrued the two.

It has become apparent that maybe some authors could use some tips on how to respond to criticism. From someone who has been a reader, reviewer, hopeful author, mentor, editor, published author, and publicist, I'll offer my (admittedly not perfect) advice.

1) Don't respond.

Not to argue, not to "correct." You're going to disagree with their opinions. Just do so inside your own head, okay? If it's someone you've asked to critique your work, you're permitted two words: "Thank you."

I know you want to defend yourself and your work. But you don't have to. You put your work out there and someone responded to it genuinely and honestly. That's it.

But if a reviewer got every single one of your main characters' names completely wrong, describes your light and fluffy romance as a creature horror, or grossly misrepresents your book in some other way?


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Don't respond.

That's it. I know you're angry and/or hurt. We're compelled to defend ourselves. Your emotions are real. But for everyone's sake (especially your own), you gotta back off.

So what can you do?


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Scream at the sky, drink a glass of wine, pet your puppy, go to yoga class, dance around your apartment to old-school Avril Lavigne, strap yourself to a chair until the rage passes, carry heavy stones up a hill then back down again, cry your eyes dry, call your BFF/sister/therapist/partner and rant about it - whatever you need to do to process your emotions privately. But then let it go.

I should be able to stop here, but recent events have shown that some of this needs to be spelled out more explicitly. So.

2) Don't write about it in any public or semi-public space.

If you wouldn't post it on facebook, twitter, and the front page of the New York Times, don't create a written record of it. Let me rephrase: If your publicist would so much as give you that little half-frown she does when you're being slightly ridiculous if you put this on twitter, don't email or message or post in a "private" facebook group. Emails can be forwarded, "private" facebook groups are the privacy equivalent of fish netting for clothing, and anything written can be screenshot.

This includes subtweets, posts where you don't name the critic and/or only summarize what they said instead of quoting them. One, you're just bringing more attention to the critique you don't want anyone to see. Two, in my nine years in the book community, I have literally never seen any response to criticism turn the tide of public opinion back in the author's favor.


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This isn't just so you "don't get caught" but it's because you're going to say things either you don't really mean or don't understand the full ramifications of. Writing it and making it public - that's permanent. You can't take it back, ever.

If you really can't control your compulsion to write about it, go the old-fashioned route with pen and paper. Then light that shit on fire and let your bitterness float away with the smoke.

3) Don't contact the critic.

As the kids on twitter say: don't @ me. No tweets, no emails, no goodreads comments, no facebook messages, no tumblr reblogs, no instagram comments, no sending $0.01 donations via PayPal, no writing billboards, no passing things through a friend.

"But what if...?"


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Nah, just don't.

And (Lady Godiva help me, I can't believe I have to say this) do not -- under any circumstances -- seek out & share personal information about them, contact their place of work, go anywhere near them in person, talk about their children in any way, tell everyone who will listen how much they hurt you, or any number of things I would never think I would have to warn you away from.


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4) Read your positive reviews/feedback

Negative feedback can leave you feeling defeated, in addition to angry. Chances are, you've received positive feedback. Go ahead and re-read that. Say to yourself, "See, THIS PERSON appreciates my genius." Then maybe make friends with them if you're not already. Bask in the glow.

Don't isolate yourself to the point where all you hear is praise, as that will stunt your growth as a writer, but revel in your fans when you need to.


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5) Don't read reviews

Some people offer this as blanket advice, but I don't. I think reviews can be a great source of both encouragement and education. And if the work is not yet published, you're going to HAVE TO listen to criticism of it. No one writes a perfect book on their own.

But some people just can't handle reading negative comments of their published work. And at that point, it's not like you can change the book anyway. Most of the time, you think you can handle it, but then you find them gnawing on your mental health and energy. If you find that happening to yourself, if your muscles are straining to respond or lash out, don't read any of your reviews.


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Ask your publicist to send you the good ones, but don't lay one digital finger on your Goodreads or Amazon listing.

Some critique may find you, but you don't have to seek it out.

6) Listen & Consider

It may seem like this is the opposite of the last point, but it doesn't have to be. Here's the thing: a lot of that criticism that stings or feels like a knife to your gut? It may be valid.


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Whether it's that you lean too heavily on the word "smirk" or your book could be harmful to a marginalized group, wait until you're calm and really consider the potential validity of the criticism. Maybe discuss it privately with someone whose opinion you value (but make sure it's also a person who is not afraid to tell you when you're wrong).

Take it in, process it, and use it to improve your writing.

If something in your writing has deemed to be hurtful, apologize. (Note: "I'm sorry you were offended" is not an apology.))

7) Revise or Start Something New

Now it's time to move on. If the work is not yet published, and you can use the criticism to improve your work, do that.

If the book is published. Write something else. Something better and (if applicable) something not harmful.

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A Surviver's Guide to 2016 Writers Contests

I love contests. One of my prayers for the last five years, after I seriously started pursuing this writing thing, had been to win ACFW's Genesis Contest. ACFW is the American Christian Fictions Writers organization and winning or even finaling in their Genesis Contest for unpublished authors in one of the biggest honors in the Inspirational writing world. I know it's silly to want to stay unpublished/uncontracted to win a writing contest—after all, publication is the REAL goal, right?—but that win was still my prayer. 

And last year, in 2015, I won the YA category. Which sparked my willingness to change focus in my career and look toward indie publishing.

Now the 2016 contest season is here. Among my favorites are Genesis and the Rosemary. So it's time to polish up those opening pages!

I always get excited about the submission part. I'm eager to get feedback. And then, three or four months later, the results are in. The scoresheets are returned. And as I drown my emotions in a pint of Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby, I ask myself, "Why do I subject myself to this again and again and again?!?!?"

My scores may come back respectable. 96. 88. 92. 84. But somewhere in there, I'll get a 55. A 62. One lousy score out of a half dozen great scores, and that one failing mark leaves me questioning everything I thought I knew about writing and, more importantly, about my ability and my future as an author.

Despite positive feedback from the majority of the judges, that one low score is the only I fixate on. For some reason, I believe that judge is the only one being honest. That judge is the only one able to see that I am a failure as a writer. That judge is the only one I should listen to.

A big. Fat. Lie.

I'm guessing I'm not the only contest-junkie who fixates on the negative instead of the positive, even if the positive outweighs the negative. And even though I still haven't conquered that voice claiming the negative is the real truth, I have developed a survival guide to help me yell back at that voice.

1: Judges are Human

Because judges are human, they are subjective in their critique. Sometimes even in areas like mechanics their scores can be subjective. They may decide that two difficult-to-diagnose comma errors in twenty pages is grounds for a low, definitely-not-ready-for-editor-eyes score; while another judge may mark off much less because they believe the comma errors to be extremely minor. 

And in the bigger areas? Personal preference can play a huge role. Maybe the judge prefers first person POV over third person and has difficulty connecting to characters in a third person POV. Or something in the story bugs them in a way that clouds their positive-vibes and prompts lower scores. Or maybe the judge is struggling with frustration and bitterness about all the rules and doors slamming in their own face on this publishing journey, so they feel a little harsher toward the world without realizing it. 

If one random judge out of three or five or eight claims the story lacks conflict, emotional depth, deep story-telling techniques, while every other judge praises you in those areas, don't rent head-space to that negative judge! Scan the low-scoring, negative judge's comments, and hide them in the deep dark, forgetful place in your mind. A place where, if other, less-harsh judges point out similar weaknesses, you'll know those judges' suggestions need consideration. But don't waste energy—or delicious Ben & Jerry's ice cream—obsessing over one judge's scores.

2: Lean On Your Critique Partners (Not Ben or Jerry)

This advice goes along with the previous. When you get that super, insanely negative scoresheet, share the comments with someone you trust—a critique partner or an editor you've worked with. Someone who you trust to be honest, yet gentle. Someone who isn't emotionally invested in the manuscript. Someone who knows the craft. This person can talk you off the ledge—or out of the Ben & Jerry's carton. They can weed through those comments that to you sound like, "Your writing sucks! You're a hack! No one will ever want to publish this horrible, sticking, mess!" and see the compliments, the positives, and the valid suggestions. 

More than once, my critique partners have helped me find the positives in what sounded like haters-gonna-hate feedback and provided suggestions on how to implement valid points. I can see now that the negative feedback has made my writing better, but I needed the assistance of people I trusted to point out where and how.

3: Remember to Thank Your Judges!

Most contests will allow you to email your judges, through your category coordinator, a thank you. Please, please, email your thanks. I'm not saying this because it's polite or good form—which it is—but also because judging is anonymous for both the judges AND the entrants. The judges don't get a name attached to an entry. But what happens when the judge reads a good one? An entry they love? An entry that leaves them yelling at their computer screen, "I NEED MORE!"? 

Sending a thank you email allows the judge to attach an author to that jaw-dropping, heart-stopping, eye-popping entry that they want to finish. Now the judge can stalk—er, I mean follow—the author on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and everywhere authors hang out. When that entry gets picked up by a publisher and the publisher changes the title, the judge will finally have an opportunity to finish the story. Closure, it's all about closure.

Even after winning Genesis the rejections and negative feedback crawls inside my brain and puts down roots. I don't think that will ever change. Even after I'm published I'll face negative reviews from readers who hate something about my books. But I've got a plan and a circle of supporters who will help me through the negatives. And with their help and contest feedback, my writing will get better and better.

Any other advice for contest survival?