Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
My favorite professional saying is, “You can’t please 100% of the people 100% of the time.” Regardless of where you work or what you do, there will always be those who question your skill. Artisans often receive the greatest brunt of dissatisfaction. However, you can accept criticism in virtually any form as long as it plays a role in self-improvement. There’s obviously going to be those who hate something for the sheer pleasure of it, but it’s what you do with that information that makes the difference.
How to Accept Criticism from Virtually Anyone
When you’re a freelance writer, such as myself, your income is dependent on making clients happy. While the majority of them will more than likely love anything you write, simply because it saves them time to do it, a large number of them will require revisions. Sometimes, these revisions may be instrumental in helping you develop as a professional. Not all criticism is bad, and a lot of it could be influential in your success.
Learning to Improve Yourself
One thing I like about Textbroker is that the editors are quick to give you feedback regarding your skill. Even if the client praises you and offers a bonus, the editors will still point out that your comma usage is wrong and prepositions need to be tightened. While this can help strengthen your abilities, you should also understand that editors can be faulty as well. There have been plenty of times where I was clearly correct, but the editors mentioned the error. When something like this happens, the best thing to do is move on. Take comfort that you know more than the editors and focus on making the client’s happy. After all, it’s the client who pays you. As long as you take the time to know with absolute certainty you were right, then all is well.
Knowledge is your greatest ally when trying to succeed as a writer. When you accept criticism and learn how to modify your abilities, it makes your work that much stronger on a professional level. The best way to get ahead in any industry is to constantly learn what drives it. Keep improving yourself and you may have a continued level of success that not everyone achieves.
Giving the Client What He or She Wants
There are going to be clients who want something done a certain way. Even though you know better and it makes no grammatical sense, they want it done that way. The only thing you can really do is give them exactly what they asked for. The client is the one paying your bills. If he or she wants a piece that goes against all current optimization practices and sounds like nonsensical jargon, then that is what you should provide. I’ve had many clients like this. In which case, you may want to accept criticism with a grain of salt and realize that their expectations are in another league from your abilities. It’s not you, it’s the one who pays for the piece.
This also works when you’re writing a professional piece for yourself, such as a novel. Essentially, your target audience is the client. You want to engage those individuals and learn how to connect with them on a deeper level. This is part of the reason why I am submitting my first published piece to Wattpad before producing a book. I want to understand those who read my genre and what I can do to improve those connections.
Dealing with Trolls
No matter how beautifully you write, there will be a time when you’ll be faced by comments from Trolls. These people have no ambition other than to cause and spread chaos. Usually, it’s people who are dissatisfied with their own lives and take their frustrations out on others online. This is because the Internet offers a sense of anonymity. In cases such as this, just accept criticism as a form of letting you know that someone still took the time to read your work or visit the blog. At which point, the Troll only served to improve your status on the Internet. You win.
Always be professional regardless of comments or suggestions by others. Take the higher ground, and don’t get sucked into an online debate regarding your technique. Not everyone is going to appreciate your style of writing. If interactions with these individuals goes south, take comfort in the realization that so many other people give up. In this regard, you’ve already gained a level of success that others will never experience. Don’t take the critiques of others too hard. A lot of people will offer information that could be used to enhance your abilities as a writer.
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