You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one. John Wooden
Critics are those who have failed in literature and art. Benjamin Disraeli
The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism. Norman Vincent Peale
If you’re not failing now and again, it’s a sign you’re not doing anything very innovative. Woody Allen
I’ve been reading reviews of my stories for twenty-five years, and can’t remember a single useful point in any of them, or the slightest good advice. Anton Chekhov
I tell writers to keep reading, reading, reading. Read widely and deeply. And I tell them not to give up even after getting rejection letters. And only write what you love. Anita Diamant
Rejection slips, or form letters, however tactfully phrased, are lacerations of the soul, if not quite inventions of the devil—but there is no way around them. Isaac Asimov
The artist doesn’t have time to listen to the critics. The ones who want to be writers read the reviews, the ones who want to write don’t have the time to read reviews. William Faulkner
Was I bitter? Absolutely. Hurt? You bet your sweet ass I was hurt. Who doesn’t feel a part of their heart break at rejection. You ask yourself every question you can think of, what, why, how come, and then your sadness turns to anger. That’s my favorite part. It drives me, feeds me, and makes one hell of a story. Jennifer Salaiz
I used to save all my rejection slips because I told myself, one day I’m going to autograph these and auction them. And then I lost the box. James Lee Burke
I think that you have to believe in your destiny; that you will succeed, you will meet a lot of rejection and it is not always a straight path, there will be detours — so enjoy the view. Michael York
I went for years not finishing anything. Because, of course, when you finish something you can be judged. Erica Jong
As a writer, the worst thing you can do is work in an environment of fear of rejection. Carol Leifer
Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing. Aristotle
I could write an entertaining novel about rejection slips, but I fear it would be overly long. Louise Brown
The first thing you have to learn when you go into the arts is to learn to cope with rejection. If you can’t, you’re dead. Warren Adler
I had immediate success in the sense that I sold something right off the bat. I thought it was going to be a piece of cake and it really wasn’t. I have drawers full of — or I did have — drawers full of rejection slips. Fred Saberhagen
An absolutely necessary part of a writer’s equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment the world hands out and the punishment he inflicts upon himself. Irwin Shaw
To defend what you’ve written is a sign that you are alive. William Zinsser
Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement. C. S. Lewis
