© Rochelle Potkar | Powered by When earlier, writers I followed got reviewed for their work, my next-step thought was one of curiosity. I wanted to know, like peeping-Tammy, what was the writer’s reactions. Did they quiver on social media? Did they shrug? Did they not care? Did they care?
Do writers have to care?
We can choose to stay away from praise and criticism, but since Keki is one of my favorite poets, anything that he writes, to my belief, comes from the purist place. He has no malice. No ill-will. No intentional method of harm. So what he says is so pure, I take it with purity.
Otherwise in many cases, I have accepted praise when it has come, and forgotten it in the very next minute, and not heeded criticism at all when i could see the intention was dark and deliciously meant-to-scathe-for-power – to assert the importance of the neglected critic. I rely on a trusted bunch of brutal beta-readers – friends who have spines, craft, and can talk straight of what works or doesn’t in our writings.
So back to Keki’s words. You can read it here:
I learnt a new word: Encomium. Could this be a title of a new haibun?
My reaction to the praise is: “Hmm… thank you, :*”
My reaction to the criticism is: “Hmm… thank you, :*”
Promise:
I will be doing this sport again – of analyzing reviews/critique only if I feel it comes from a pure place.
Otherwise, chuck de.