Over the last few days, we've gotten into some wonderful off-blog discussions regarding Joni Rodgers' insightful post: "Consider the Source: Rise of the Cleverati," about those snarkier-than-thou amateur reviewers out to wow all of cyberspace with their evisceration of this book or that.
Since criticism and rejection come with the territory, authors do their best to shrug off the naysayers and those folks who seem to expend an inordinate percentage of their time on this planet posting rabid, one-star reviews on Amazon. From time to time, however, the harpies' talons punch straight through an author's protective armor. They can wound, and in some sad cases, kill an author's desire to continue writing.
Author Sue-Ellen Welfonder shared some valuable wisdom in the form of a Saracen proverb she uses whenever she needs to give herself a reality check. I thought it was so on-target, I asked for her permission to share it with BtO's readers. So here ya go:
"The dogs may bark, but the caravan moves on..."
As you journey through the writers' life, keep telling yourself that you are the caravan. Keep your gaze set on your goal, which is delivering the stories only you can tell to those readers who will love them. Remind yourself that no book, indeed, nothing any human being can create, will appeal to every other person on the planet.
It's enough to please your readers and not the whole darned world.
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