Does this sight make you jump up and down with joy? It should, but it doesn’t, right?
As feedback from my lovely beta readers trickles in, I realize I’m not as good at taking criticism as I want to be. So I wrote up some rules for myself. Enjoy.
#1 Thou shalt not take any critique personally; receiving feedback is a sign that others do indeed think thee and thy manuscript are worth the effort.
#2 Thou shalt not get defensive (thy readers may actually know what they are talking about).
#3 Thou shalt break critiques into manageable chunks.
#4 Thou shalt consider EVERY SINGLE SUGGESTION.
#5 Thou shalt ask thy reader(s) for clarification.
#6 Thou shalt thank thy reader(s).
#7 Thou shalt revise.
#8 Thou shalt solicit more feedback.
#9 Thou shalt not give up even though thou art clearly a horrible, horrible writer who shall never accomplish anything with thy life.
#10 Thou shalt reward thy diligence with breaks and treats (within reason).
Now I’d better get off the internet and work on #3 and #7.