I'm going to tell you a little story about being an artist.
When I was 13 and in the 9th grade I decided that I wanted to be an artist. I wanted to paint. I wanted to draw. I wanted to sculpt...and I was stuck in a math & science high school for gifted kids. I started teaching myself to draw, to paint, to sculpt. Every once in a while I would take classes in Manhattan. There I was, a 13 year old who was self-taught in art classes full of 18-45 year olds who had been trained in the Fine Arts for most of their lives.
I was terrified. I was also determined. I could have taken beginner classes but I didn't. I was going big or I was going home.
Now, there were times when a teacher, or one of those professionals who scared the shit out of me, would pull me aside and tell me how amazing they thought my work was. For every one of those people there were five other people who raked me over hot coals and tore my work to shreds. They didn't care that I was only 13. They didn't care that I was shy. They didn't care if they hurt my feelings or my pride.
As much as it hurt to put everything into a drawing and then have someone tell me that it's crap, those people had the right idea. They pulled no punches. Probably more than half of my work was crap and they forced me to see it for what it was, they forced me to stay humble, they forced me to get better.
I heard about an art school in Manhattan that took only 60 new students every year and gave them all 4 year scholarships. People told me what it was about my work that was shit (and there was alot that was shit). I LISTENED. I worked my ass off and changed things and then I showed my new paintings and drawings to the people who were being honest with me. I did this over and over again. They criticized and I LISTENED.
I applied to exactly one college. A panel looked over my work and then sent me home to wait. The college took people of all ages. I was going up against some people who were in their thirties, people who had already had gallery showings, people who knew what they were doing. I had taken a handful of classes. I got in.
The biggest reason why I got in? It wasn't because I have raw talent. Alot of people have raw talent. It was because I let people tell me the harsh and real truth about my work.
When someone said "Laddie, what the fuck is THIS? Your perspective is crap. Are you even trying? Your lines are weak, your shadowing is wrong, these proportions are for shit!"....
I looked at my stuff and I said to myself "What is this? This perspective is crap. God, I'm not trying hard enough. These lines are weak, there shouldn't be a shadow there and I need to make this proportionate to that." and then I would start all over again.
So, what does this have to do with writing? No matter what you're creating the basic process is the same. You write something, you draw something, you paint something. You take a step back, look at it, try to find what can be better and then you fix it.
Now, it's great when someone says "Oh, that's so beautiful and wonderful and amazing!".
Everyone wants to be praised but, in my opinion, an artist should want more than anything to be criticized.
Praise is not going to make someone a better author or artist. Constantly working on what it is that's wrong with your work, the things that just don't work, the shit that sucks...that's what makes an artist better. When an artist or author surrounds themselves with people who never point out the things that can be done better then that artist/author is going to become stuck. They will never improve and they will begin to take whatever talent they have for granted.
It's my opinion that an artist/author should never fall in love with the way they write, paint, draw, etc. They should always be evolving and searching for ways to be better. I hold criticisms close to my heart and revisit them frequently. It makes me a better artist.
So, while I say thank you when someone praises me, the question that I most find myself asking is not "Do you like it?" it's "What don't you like about it?".
Awesome post Lad, articulate and spot on. What's the use of having all this talent if you just let it stagnate?
ReplyDeleteI wish writers understood that taking the time to read what they wrote, and to feedback constructively is showing them RESPECT, and valuing their efforts. I mean I don't have to actually read a book to give it five stars, and said I loved it and move on. But to sit, take notes, think about the story, and try to understand what a writer was going for, that to me shows that you understand the importance of their craft.
Exactly, and when you're an artist and create something, you are way too close to your work to see every little thing that can be improved upon.
DeleteIt's even harder when you're new to your craft.
The M/M genre has a lot of authors who are just starting out. When you're new to your craft there's a very good chance that you don't even know what imperfections you should be looking for. That's when you really need to surround yourself with people who won't just tell you how great you are.
I have to agree, Laddie. Your post is spot on.
ReplyDeleteI have been an artist my whole life (mostly graphite pencil), and started taking private portrait commissions as a teenager. So like you, I have grown up with criticism, and as long as it's constructive criticism, I listen to every single word and apply it. I appreciate when people praise my work, it makes me feel good, and we all need that from time to time. But I also get frustrated if no one is pointing out where I need work. My goal is for every single piece of art I do to be better than the last, because to me, it can always be better. We can always learn, grow and improve.
As an author, one of my critique partners is seriously tough business, and I love him for it. He doesn't pull punches, but he will also point out when I've hit something he's been trying to get me to understand. As much as you need to know where you need to improve, you also need that little boost to tell you where you have.
I agree completely, that if our weaknesses are never pointed out, how will they ever become strengths? That said, however, it's easier to swallow with a little dollop of sugar. ;-) Yes, please tell me the things that don't work, but also point out what does.
I totally agree that praise has its value as well. Also because if you know that you've got the hang of something it can free you up to work on something that you still struggle with.
DeleteGreat post! This reminds me of the discussions about how today's kids are being raised. How every kid on a team gets a trophy whether they win or not. How they receive constant praise so their self esteem won't be damaged. Don't get me wrong. Everyone needs positive comments (when they are deserved). No one wants to be criticized all the time, either, but like you said, it is necessary or you will never strive to be better at what you do. I think I would rather have someone give me an honest opinion, even if it might hurt a little bit at the time.
ReplyDeleteAnd criticisms can be accompanied by positive comments. I think alot of people forget that you can say "It's great that you're trying so hard but..."
DeleteLaddie, this is serious, deep stuff. I wish people (me included) reacted to criticism more positively. Great post.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Edina. Reacting positively to criticism isn't an easy thing. Sometimes I stil have a spilt second of being pissy when I get criticized but then I just say to myself "oh, get over yourself".
DeleteI had to learn too that not everyone is going to phrase things in a way that's all sunshine and rainbows. I like those people because they've taught me to separate myself as a person from the work that I create.
I respect that and I respect artists and authors who can do that. I love people who can handle criticism as much as they can be critical.