Sep
10th
2018
Being a Better Writer: Haters · 6:55pm Sep 10th, 2018
The moment you create something worthwhile, someone out there in the world will start to hate you. I wish this wasn’t the truth. I wish I could say that people were always going to be rational and capable of thought, but that’s not how it is.
Welcome to Being a Better Writer, where this week we’re going to discuss one of the more asked-after topics since I’ve been writing BaBW, one which I only in the last year decided it was time to tackle. This doesn’t have much to do with the act of writing, but it is about dealing with what comes with it. And, I think, all other forms of art and expression.
Haters. It’s a topic many of you wanted to see. Well, today you do. So … let’s talk.
Probably the hardest part of dealing with detractors of any sort is where to draw the line between constructive criticism and hate. Some people seem to feed off of trying to focus on haters and make themselves look like poor victims. Others will have a hard time dealing with even the smallest complaint, regardless of the ratio of positive comments. Some love to label any and all criticism against their work as hate. It's pretty complicated.
Man, I hate this topic. [/rimshot]
I'm sorry.I always look forward to that first downvote. I believe that if my story hasn't been downvoted yet, clearly it hasn't been viewed by enough people (glances pointedly at Derp). I also suspect that I have a dedicated hater out there, but it's only a theory I can't prove. Even if I could and knew who it was, I wouldn't name them because what's the point?
4935059
Yeah, it can be really hard, and I mentioned that in my old post about detractors. It's hard to tell what's genuine and what isn't. The most that could be said is that it takes practice and time to gain the level of discernment you need.
4935062
Yeah, it's not hard to gain one. But drawing attention to them just feeds their own flames, so ... you just let it lie.