User blog:Princess Callie/Why you shouldn't feel bad about criticism

You know what irks me? What really grinds my gears? Threads like this one where the person receiving criticism is quite frankly whining profusely about how he's being insulted and mocked.

Let's say you write a story. You have no plot or a ridiculous plot, you spell everything wrong, your characters are bland and your setting is boring. Would you not want me to point these things out? Especially when you post it on a Writer's Workshop Board, for crying out loud.

Criticism is not here to hurt you. It isn't here to mock you or let us rub our superior asses in your face. It is done here specifically to help you as a writer, and you cannot expect us to hold your hand constantly like a toddler. The problem eventually becomes the person on the receiving end - you won't let the critique sink in, because you're too busy saying "WAH, THAT OFFENDED ME!" We aren't your parents, we aren't your teachers, and we aren't your Real Life BFF's who insist upon building you up no matter how much you do wrong. You can't post something in the public eye with the expectation that everyone will think it is good. That isn't how it is. If you post something terrible, we will say it is terrible. We will explain why it is and tell you how to fix it.

Is that hurtful? Yes. Naturally, that is. But you have to suck it up. Real life and the real world aren't going to hold your hand and neither are we. We aren't expecting a Suggested Reading article. We expect quality and effort. In fact, that goes as far to say that it probably isn't a good idea to post your first Creepypasta here. Get some practice.

The idea here is that you shouldn't get all depressed and bent out of shape because of criticism. If you do, it will hurt more than it helps. Instead, pay attention to what is being pointed out so that you can improve the work being criticized. We aren't trying to ostracize you. We're trying to help. And your best bet is to listen so that you can help yourself.