I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the quality of amateur writing that abounds on the Internet. Even with little editorial oversight, many bloggers do make an effort to constantly improve their writing skills. Others, unfortunately, get into bad writing habits. And no matter how good your writing is, the minute it’s out there for public consumption, it’s fair game – not only for praise, but for criticism as well.

Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth

When you get negative, but constructive, feedback, remember that it takes far more time and effort to critique a post than it does to offer a few words of praise. We bloggers know just how much thought and effort goes into, “Nice post!” When someone takes the time to point out errors, remember that they have used precious minutes of their life to really think about and offer suggestions that they think will help you in your writing. So say “thank you,” even if it seems a bitter pill to swallow.

Big Bloggers Don’t Cry

Do not bother making excuses. Do not say: “But English isn’t my native language,” or, “It was just something I wrote really fast to have something to post today,” or, “That big bully down the street broke all my fingers and I had to type this with my nose.” I seriously doubt anyone forced you to publish it before it was well thought-out, clearly written, and proofread for typos. Mean people aren’t worth getting upset over, and legitimate corrections can help you to learn and do better next time. Try to see them as the gift that they are.

Don’t seek consolation from others by complaining about mean comments. Nine times out of ten, if the comments are baseless, unwarranted, and unfair, other commenters will defend you. You sit back and be a gracious host. Take a walk, breathe, and restore your own sense of inner peace before you even think about touching that keyboard in response. Consider whether the comments are really intended to be mean and nasty, or if they are merely straightforward, blunt, and honest – perhaps meant to be helpful. If there’s a shred of helpfulness to be found, there, grit your teeth and type, “Thank you.” Leave it at that.

Learn to separate the useful from the not-so-useful. Take the good and the bad. Consider what you can use and what you can’t, and say “thank you” to everyone who bothered to comment. Toss the garbage in the mental trash bin and let it go – don’t stew and get frustrated or angry over negative comments, and don’t let gushing praise go to your head. Your family and friends are biased; they want you to feel good about yourself. They may also be honest. Likewise with those who don’t like you so much – they may surprise you with a word of praise, and their criticism can always be tainted by emotion, as well. In the end, each comment reflects just one person’s opinion – a valid opinion from a reader, but certainly not the only opinion out there.