How do you encourage needed criticism?
Their names don’t appear in the masthead. They work as volunteers. But without them, the magazine I produce would miss its potential.
They serve as my proofreaders, but they do much more than catch typos. They alert me to awkward phrases or unclear passages. They tell me when I overuse words. They ask tough questions.
Most of the time, I agree. They’re mistakes I would have seen in another’s pages. But I’ve gotten too close to my own work to notice. I need their fresh eyes.
Their feedback seldom makes me happy. I take pride in my work, and that can lead to problems.
Still, their feedback seldom makes me happy. I take pride in my work, and that can lead to problems. So I make a point to thank my critics.
Maybe someday I’ll get to the point I don’t need others’ help, but I’m not there yet.
