I gazed at the screen in disbelief. A blog post had attracted a critical response based purely on my writing technique. Though I am my own worst critic, and tend to edit my work to death, still someone had picked up on a mistake my tired mind had missed.

Don’t you just hate it when that happens? And I thought, (a bit peevishly): why say anything if you can’t say anything nice?  So how should we approach a book, a blog? Do we read it openly, or primarily as a critic?

As we enter a writer’s world we start to engage with her mind’s rich creativity. A well written story will always captivate us—as long as we can set aside our prejudices.

How about non-fiction writers?  I believe each genre involves storytelling, reaching deep into our subconscious. Poetry, especially,  encapsulates emotions and experiences, real and imagined.

What matters most is the truth we share—the veracity of our words and their resonance within, the roots of reality they are planted in. In writing, and in life, let’s celebrate our differences and appreciate most what unites us. 

Is it possible to take off the critic’s hat? Can we savour a story without picking holes in the way it’s written? I’m by no means suggesting sloppy writing is a good thing. We should all strive for excellence in our work, yet always try to be kind, generous toward ourselves, as well as others.

Though our inner critic can cripple us from seeing writing (or life) in a positive light, what if we tried to see ourselves through God’s lens of loving understanding, rather than via a lens of laceration for all the things we think we’ve got wrong?

**To read the rest of this post, please follow me over to the ACW, (Association of Christian Writers) ‘More than Writers’ blog where I’m sharing my words. Just click here to join me there** Thank you!  🙂