If you are writing a poem and publish it on the web how you deal with criticism

I don't consider myself a serious poet - dance is my main medium - but I have the same reaction to criticism of any of my work... it is very hard to take. If it is constructive, I appreciate it. If the person criticizing is just downright rude and has no justification for their words, that is what irks me to no end. As much as I like to think people do that "because they just have no life themselves so they put others down to make themselves feel better" type thoughts, I still can't help at times but get that "well, what if they're right?" second guessing that never fails to make me all down on myself. And you know, you're not the only poet who feels this way. I read that Tennyson (my personal favorite) went through a period where he stopped publishing for ten years all because of one bad review. Any time you create anything that carries such sentimental value for you and is so close to your heart, it is natural to take negativity as a personal affront. And I know some people will say, "They said they don't like your work, they didn't say they don't like you," I beg to differ under certain circumstances. As an artist, there are some instances where you feel so strongly about something you've worked on and it has so much of you in it that it is an integral part of who you are, and therefore you cannot always separate you from your work, at least not completely. I find I am very lucky to have some good friends who are also in the arts. Most of them are musicians and it is close enough to dance that they understand what it feels like to be put down like that in a way that your average person wouldn't. I find talking to them helps a great deal - and I mean talking about anything, not necessarily venting about the criticism I've just received. A lot of them are older than I am, so I really look up to them a lot. I also have one other friend who I can vent about it to and he'll always reply with a bitter swipe towards the person who criticized me, which is sometimes quite funny! The biggest help is to have some people like you by your side through it all so you'll have those who understand and admire what you do to fall back on those times when you get a nasty critic. They really help to put everything into perspective.

I would just take them as part of my growth I guess. It really depends on the criticism, I guess. Anyways, like whenever the response is something personal, then I should just shoo that away, but if it has to do with like the technicalities in poetry (rhythm, meter, etc.), then I guess I have to take a peek on what they say and reflect but not necessarily I would be greatly affected by it. :)

vanila I know it feels awful! But we have to learn to accept negative criticisms as well. Its an open forum and we must not wish to believe that our articles should be appealing to all. There could be negative ones as well. Its important to accept it. We should learn from the criticisms and brave it out and if its an utter rubbish one just ignore it dear. Good luck!

I also feel bad when criticism comes my way particularly when it is not helping you in any way. A simple thing i recommend just keep people who either constructively criticizes you or just likes your works. Hear good things about you that would help you out

I've been writing online for about a year now. And I can't say that it doesn't bother me. I haven't received a message of dislike of my work yet. I'm happy about that, but I'm also still wary. It only takes one person's response to turn me off of writing too. I don't think I'll be able to handle it when I get my screenplay out there. I can already hear the critics nitpicking and everything.

Are you planning on becoming a professional poet (i.e. getting things published regularly)? If so, you need to learn how to handle criticism quickly. If you have trouble with it on the internet, then I'm not sure how well you'll do if you ever have to have it face to face. My suggestion is you simply have to get accustomed to it. Continue to put your work out there to be critiqued. Learn the difference between a constructive criticism (where the person is genuinely giving you suggestions to help you) or flames (where the person is just trying to piss you off). You need to figure out how to shrug off the flames, and accept the criticism as what it is- suggestions. If you ever want things published, you may find yourself in several situations where you'll be criticized for your writing to your face. You need to build a thicker skin for that. One other suggestion I have is joining a writing group or perhaps going to a few workshops. This is coming from a very shy, reclusive writer of fiction, by the way. You have to get out there, and you have to learn to handle things. I wish you the best of luck.

a motto for us all.. you cannot please everyone out there..!! couple it with a very good principle: "if your happyness (the movie) doesn't depend on them, who cares..!! all those i always bear in mind, although it annoys you in some point but thinking of those (as you said, plenty has good comments) good comments you receive would outweigh the burden form it. the best thing to do is "ignore them", sometimes they just need some attention ro lacking thereof. another thing is, probably they don't understand your poem or doesn't get the point you want to convey and because of our ego, we tend to do the opposite. i always have to move on and skip that part, sincere individuals would come by in your other post and give you satisfying comments..!!

Criticism is very hard to take regardless of what field you're in, but it's a part of life. Not everyone sees things from the same viewpoint. Try to step outside your own opinions and see your poem from another viewpoint. If you decide that the criticism is just a matter of opinion try to brush it off. That's part of living and growing.

Dealing with criticism can be hard, but it is important to develop a thick skin and remember that your writing is not your baby, if you plan to be published on more than just a website forum. You should, however take the criticisms with a grain of salt or two. If more than just one person is saying the same thing, look into what they are saying and learn from it. Most people that do critiques are not trying to be bad spirited, but trying to help you become a better writer. And always remember they are not critiquing you as a person but just a piece of writing. Play with some of their suggestions, see how it sounds and if it works for you. But in the end it is yours to do with as you please, just keep writing!

If the criticism is constructive I appreciate it. If someone has taken the time to read my poem and is genuinely trying to help me, I am grateful. Suggestions, tips to improve my writing is always welcome. Criticism that is not constructive, for instanse: "I don't like your poem, it sucks" is another story. A comment like that is not useful for me. It's okay that the person who wrote it doesn't like my poem, but as long as he or she doesn't tell me why (s)he doesn't like it or how to improve it, how can I benefit from the criticism? I used to get hurt whem someone criticized my poems, but I've become better at accepting it, and some of the comments are really useful.I still get annoyed if I get insulting comments, but I hope to get better at accepting that, too. When you publish something online all sorts of people are going to read it and commend on it, and I think you just have to accept that Sometimes when I publish something online, I receive many negative comments, and I get hurt and discouraged. Then I continue working on the poem and quite often when I look back at the first version (the one I published online) I can't believe how bad it is. And I realize that many of the negative comments were true and I know that I might have reacted the same way if someone else had written the poem.