'[W]riting is harder. Lonelier. And nobler'

"A writer, like a boxer, must stand alone. Having your words published, like entering a ring, puts your talent on display and there is nowhere to hide. The truth is revealed and sometimes the results can be disastrous."

 

During the traditional end-of-semester advice dispensation once, a creative writing teacher told my class, "Be careful who you show your work to." She told a story of showing writing to a friend, whose response was: "This is great. I like it much better than all the other stuff you've shown me. That stuff was bad, but this is good."

 

I knew then that she was right, but every once in a while I am reminded of how right she was, of how people who are not writers fail to understand how much of oneself goes into one's writing, how personal it is, and how every criticism is a personal attack, and so how carefully criticism should be given.

 

A good reminder for someone who spends her days editing other people's work, if nothing else.