NaNoWriMo discussion

I came to a triumphant finish with my nanowrimo story, and decided to go further. I ended up with nearly 80,000 words and a decent story line, so I've been editing it, and I've printed a dummy to let people read. So far I've only gotten small amounts of negative criticism, but it still hurts! I need to get better at taking it. As Donna Jo Napoli says--you need Big Ears and Tough Skin. Any suggestions?

Get frustrated and be sure of yourself when receiving the criticism (if you're into that kind of defense mechanism) but then also take notes and see if there's anything real in what the person's saying (you can do this behind their backs so as not to give them satisfaction or you can tell them that they helped, up to you). However, you can find satisfaction if you analyze what they say and just realize that they are wrong. It depends on who is saying it and how much they actually know.

I let a close friend read the beginnings of a manuscript a few years ago. She gave nothing constructive, simply said she thought it was stupid. Now even though I know in my heart of hearts it ISN'T stupid...I still haven't been able to pick it up again and continue writing. Finishing my first NaNoWriMo actually helped me get over that a little. Maybe I felt like a real writer. :P I think you just have to take the good out and let the bad go when people criticize your work. (Advice I would do well to take.)

Yeah, that's true. Another thing that helps when someone tears you apart like that is to analyze their tastes and be sure they're at least a little bit similar to yours. Don't let constructive criticism from someone you don't trust, agree with, or care about tear you apart.

But then ... the most important thing to me (aside from just having fun and being satisfied with myself for accomplishing something) is to make other people happy with my writing--to take them away for a while and give them something fun to do. So ... if NO ONE seems to like it ... that's a big hint to me. Fortunately, my novel has been a big hit with almost everyone that has read it. I think I'm going to give it to my English teacher as a gift.