The question of critiquing, and offering opinions on another person's writing, and how much stock we place in those opinions is essential to our writing.
Do we rely too much on what another person is saying about what our writing is saying to them?
I have, in the past, taken too much of what was said about my writing and incorporated it into my work. The result? Something that does not sound like my work at all.
I was dissatisfied with my last draft of a poem I wrote about a year ago. Why? I listened too much to opinions, and the result was that the poem didn't say what I wanted it to. I removed the emotional content, or too much of it.
When we write, listen to opinions, read your work, and think long and hard. Sometimes, tightening the words, reworking the wording is enough. Other times, complete removal of entire sentences, in order to fix the picture we were painting, is necessary.
Most of all, don't write with another person's voice. It is your voice that you're developing. This site is not for another writer to fix your writing, but it is for help to see what we may have missed.
Last but not least, don't forget, we offer opinions only. If you disagree with that opinion, don't fret. Not everyone will enjoy your writing, but there will be those who do. Respect another person's opinion, their work, their writing voice, and definitely expect that respect back. If the respect is not shown, ignore that opinion.
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