Criticism has always been part of the writing process, going back to Socrates and Plato. The picture above shows the The Inklings and the pub where they met, The Inklings' members included J.R.R Tolkein and C.S. Lewis. Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein and F. Scott Fitzgerald all shared their work with each other for critical feedback, and Hemingway was quoted as saying that the experience "could help a young writer up the rungs of a career." My favorite sci-fi author, Ursula Le Guin recommends participating in writing groups, and she herself, at 88, still attends a writing group!

So we're in good company.

However, in order to make sure that no one's soul gets squashed in this group, here is some advice adapted from an article by aka Meredith in her book "Wattpad 101" on accepting criticism:

Criticism is a natural part of life, but for most of us, accepting it is not always the simplest thing to do. We are invested in our work. We spent time on it, and in a lot of ways we feel it's a reflection of who we are. When someone criticizes my work, I might feel like they are criticizing me as a person!

Now, don't get taking or accepting criticism confused with using criticism. Just because someone tells you something isn't working or that you should fix it does not mean you agree with them.

On the other hand, don't make the mistake of just ignoring all of the criticism you receive. Accept that the reader had concerns, and appreciate that they took the time to read your work and let you know there concerns honestly. It's not easy being honest, as most of us are afraid of hurting others. So, be grateful that they were honest with you. Take time to process the criticism and see how it might be able to help you. When you receive a LOT of criticism on the same area, say weak dialogue or too much exposition, then at some point you need to accept that one person's criticism can be a fluke, but four or five people might mean you have a problem.

Next, don't think that having a problem means that you have somehow failed at writing a story. There are popular, well-loved stories that have their own sets of problems. Even the best stories have their critics. And don't think you need to solve those problems in the way your critic has recommended. Your own unique solution might present itself if you are open enough to see the criticism clearly.

A common mistake young writers make is to stop writing when they receive negative criticism! Creative anxiety is a common cause of this. As a writer, you are also a creator. As soon as you create something, and definitely when you put it out for others to see, it becomes public domain. Others have the right to view it, critique it, and criticize it for as long as you leave it public. This can make people anxious, but it is the inevitable cost of being a writer. Your writing will be judged and you will worry about how that writing reflects you. In the end, you must learn to embrace this, however, hard it might be.

We are all works in progress, in terms of our writing careers. Improving your writing craft never ends. Expect your writing to need work. Come to the table with an open mind and the will to improve. If you really want to be a writer, you'll be improving for the better part of the rest of your life.

It will take years to refine and perfect a work, and even then, your story might not be anything better than mediocre. Embrace that. Embrace the criticism. Learn from it. Become a better writer, like you set out to become. Even if you do become a success, even if you do receive a million follows or stars, and your book becomes featured on Wattpad or published traditionally, know that you STILL can improve. That is what accepting criticism is all about.