Sharp Words

I’m delighted to announce my inaugural guest post, which comes from Roberto Villegas of Memoirs of an English Major. Roberto describes his blog as ‘a free form writing project, with a combination of memoirs, fiction, and journalistic writing’, and it always contains interesting pieces of writing about all sort of things in a mix of fiction and non-fiction. He’s currently looking for creative content of any sort to post as part of his Creative Content Fridays. (Hmm, I really should submit something…)

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Any writer, I suppose, feels that the world into which he was born is nothing less than a conspiracy against the cultivation of his talent.”
James Baldwin

It’s an old adage that you can’t please all the people all the time and every so often, the phrase rears its ugly head with a negative review. It’s an inevitability that not everyone will think your work is gold, and some will tear it apart using language that may be better suited for the seedy bars in a Red Light district. Everyone experiences this and I’ve had my fair share of negative reviews. Here are a few tips that could help you take that negative and convert it to a positive.

1. Don’t panic
It’s my theory that every writer has gotten at least one negative response to their works. Not everyone fell head over heels for Moby Dick. It happens to even the best writers. So don’t panic if your work doesn’t hit it out of the park with everyone.
Remember that writing inspires emotion, some that may be unexpected. But it’s always good to note that even a negative reaction is better than none at all. It means that your work inspired someone to write a response, which means it got the reader to think, which is not a bad thing at all.

2. Don’t take it personally
It’s a first assumption that when a writer receives a negative review that it is attacking the writer. Sometimes this is the case, but for the most part reviewers are critiquing the work. It’s important to keep this in mind when you’re reading your reviews and to not take any of the reviews personally. It may be your baby, but once you put it out there, it’s fair game for anyone to judge, pick apart, and fully destroy. It may seem cruel, but it is the truth, so don’t take any of it personally. This tip alone will save you heartache and despair.

3. Respond, but with tact
As stated, once a work is out there, it’s fair game to judge. The same goes for reviews. This is entirely up to you, but feel free to comment back to a reviewer. It’s completely acceptable and may help you to convey what you are trying to get at, or to defend the fact that your work may not be complete. Do keep in mind that you must do this tactfully and not to resort to name calling or insulting. By doing so, it not only shows that you are a mature writer, but one that can “roll with the punches” and are completely ready to defend your work with a level of writing that the reviewer may not have expected. Show your depth of respect for the reviewer, but defend your position.

4. Correct the problems
Sometimes, the negative review is actually deserved. If you have a clear mind, you can tell when this is the case. By getting a bad review, you may find out what is wrong with the work and understand what needs to be fixed. If possible, try to fix the work to please not only the reviewer, but also the audience in question. Don’t write specifically to the reviewer, but use the negative energy and focus it to improve the work. Writing is a process and even the best written works need to be edited.

5. Don’t give up
It’s always disheartening when you get negative reviews, and some can’t take the reviews and quit. But don’t let these reviews force you to give up on a work. If you must walk away, don’t give up writing. Keep trying on different or switch up the pace. Writing is not a skill one gets overnight and it takes time to truly develop a voice. Remember to keep your chin up and keep on it, daily if need be.

Some reviewers can be down right cruel and show very little concern for your work, forgetting that even they have gotten bad reviews. Writing can be tough, but if you just remember these tips, you should be able to ride any negative critiques. Just keep a clear head, a stiff upper lip, and you should be fine. Always remember that writing is a process. Just remember to keep writing and that even a negative can be turned into a positive.

Happy trails!