--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Getting your writing criticized can be a…" description: "\"Getting your writing criticized can be a lot like getting skinned, and you respond to it just as enthusiastically.\" — Octavia E. Butler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db1/octavia-e-butler-2861_criticized_getting-your-writing-criticized-can-be-a_1562320.jpg" --- # Getting your writing criticized can be a lot like getting… ![“Getting your writing criticized can be a lot like getting skinned, and you respond to it just as enthusiastically.” quote by Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db1/octavia-e-butler-2861_criticized_getting-your-writing-criticized-can-be-a_1562320.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db1/octavia-e-butler-2861_criticized_getting-your-writing-criticized-can-be-a_1562320.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db1/octavia-e-butler-2861_criticized_getting-your-writing-criticized-can-be-a_1562320.jpg) > “Getting your writing criticized can be a lot like getting skinned, and you respond to it just as enthusiastically.” [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticism is painful like a wound, but reacting with enthusiasm can heal and improve work. **In simple terms:** Criticism hurts but can be useful. Key Takeaway Embrace feedback with energy. Themes criticism growth resilience Mood reflective motivated Type advice creative When to use this quote - writing workshops - peer review - performance arts - product design Key Concepts feedback loops creative development Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance critique and confidence? - What feedback helped you grow? A Different Perspective Too much enthusiasm may ignore constructive nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Writers who think THEY are being criticized when only that writing is being criticized are beyond a teacher's reach. Writing can only be learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/writers-who-think-they-are-being-criticized-when-only-that-writing-is/) [William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/) > [We leaders are criticized for a lot of things. It's always true after a band gets up there and is recognized by the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-miller/we-leaders-are-criticized-for-a-lot-of-things-it-s-always-true-after/) [Glenn Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-miller/) > [You've to be thick-skinned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohit-saraf/you-ve-to-be-thick-skinned/) [Rohit Saraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohit-saraf/) > [I was the darkest skinned person in my family. I remember how I used to feel - like I wasn't pretty enough, or I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rapsody/i-was-the-darkest-skinned-person-in-my-family-i-remember-how-i-used/) [Rapsody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rapsody/) > [Us brown-skinned girls get ashy if we don't moisturize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyra-banks/us-brown-skinned-girls-get-ashy-if-we-don-t-moisturize/) [Tyra Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyra-banks/) > [I'm light-skinned. I'm mixed with black and white.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trae-young/i-m-light-skinned-i-m-mixed-with-black-and-white/) [Trae Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trae-young/) > [I wanted to touch on how we look on each other. Good hair, light skin, you must be smart; if you're black, you're dark-skinned,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rapsody/i-wanted-to-touch-on-how-we-look-on-each-other-good-hair-light-skin/) [Rapsody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rapsody/) > [Sexes. One has the look of a wound, the other of something skinned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joubert/sexes-one-has-the-look-of-a-wound-the-other-of-something-skinned/) [Joseph Joubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joubert/) > [“I skinned a skunk to make a rug. You know, for the bathroom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-skinned-a-skunk-to-make-a-rug-you-know-for-the-bathroom/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [As a fair skinned blonde, I disappeared into the background. I've always been a loner, so I suppose dyeing my hair red was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ann-woll/as-a-fair-skinned-blonde-i-disappeared-into-the-background-i-ve/) [Deborah Ann Woll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ann-woll/) > [Man is the only animal that can be skinned more than once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/man-is-the-only-animal-that-can-be-skinned-more-than-once/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [I have a thick skin, which comes from being a not-really-skinny, dark-skinned Indian woman. I haven't fit in every place, and so I'm kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-have-a-thick-skin-which-comes-from-being-a-not-really-skinny-dark/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [Beauty is only skin deep, and the world is full of thin skinned people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armour/beauty-is-only-skin-deep-and-the-world-is-full-of-thin-skinned-people/) [Richard Armour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armour/) > [It's social media. You can't be thin-skinned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harris-faulkner/it-s-social-media-you-can-t-be-thin-skinned/) [Harris Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harris-faulkner/) > [“I wish i were a little girl again, because skinned knees are easier to fix than broken heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-roberts/i-wish-i-were-a-little-girl-again-because-skinned-knees-are-easier-to/) [Julia Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-roberts/) ## More by Octavia E. Butler > [The lovely thing about writing is, well, two things. One, writing fiction allows us to bring an order to our lives that doesn't exist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/the-lovely-thing-about-writing-is-well-two-things-one-writing-fiction/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [“It’s too easy to follow bad but attractive leaders, embrace pleasurable but destructive habits, ignore looming disaster because maybe it won’t happen after all—or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/it-s-too-easy-to-follow-bad-but-attractive-leaders-embrace/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [“He rubbed his head again. 'Five years is longer than it sounds. So much longer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/he-rubbed-his-head-again-five-years-is-longer-than-it-sounds-so-much/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [“Se sono tuoi, stabilisci tu le regole. A chi importa che cosa ne pensano i giocattoli? Spazza via l'intera famiglia di un giocattolo, poi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/se-sono-tuoi-stabilisci-tu-le-regole-a-chi-importa-che-cosa-ne/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [I don't know how much of a market there is for space opera. Just because it's in the movies doesn't mean magazines are buying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/i-don-t-know-how-much-of-a-market-there-is-for-space-opera-just/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [“Freedom is dangerous but it's precious, too. You can't just throw it away or let it slip away. You can't sell it for bread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/freedom-is-dangerous-but-it-s-precious-too-you-can-t-just-throw-it/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [“Sometimes I wrote things because I couldn't say them, couldn't sort out my feelings about them, couldn't keep them bottled inside me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/sometimes-i-wrote-things-because-i-couldn-t-say-them-couldn-t-sort/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [“In the book of Job, God says he made everything and he knows everything so no one has any right to question what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/in-the-book-of-job-god-says-he-made-everything-and-he-knows/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [“But there’s no power in having strength and brains, and yet waiting for God to fix things for you or take revenge for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/but-there-s-no-power-in-having-strength-and-brains-and-yet-waiting/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [“After a few years of watching the human species make things unnecessarily difficult for itself I have little hope that it will do anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/after-a-few-years-of-watching-the-human-species-make-things/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [“Self is. Self is body and bodily perception. Self is thought, memory, belief. Self creates. Self destroys. Self learns, discovers, becomes. Self shapes. Self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/self-is-self-is-body-and-bodily-perception-self-is-thought-memory/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [At school I was always taller than the rest of my class, and because I was an only child, I was comfortable with adults…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/at-school-i-was-always-taller-than-the-rest-of-my-class-and-because-i/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [“It was milk that had sickened her. Animal milk! These people cooked many things with animal milk!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/it-was-milk-that-had-sickened-her-animal-milk-these-people-cooked/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [Religion is everywhere. There are no human societies without it, whether they acknowledge it as a religion or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/religion-is-everywhere-there-are-no-human-societies-without-it/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [“There is nothing new under the sun, but there are new suns.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/there-is-nothing-new-under-the-sun-but-there-are-new-suns/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) [Explore all 131 Octavia E. Butler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) ## More Criticized quotes > ['The Matrix' is a movie that is all about glamour. I could do a whole talk on 'The Matrix' and glamour. It was criticized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-postrel/the-matrix-is-a-movie-that-is-all-about-glamour-i-could-do-a-whole/) [Virginia Postrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-postrel/) > [“To hear, in the short space of one week, a Scottish terrier booed by an audience and President Roosevelt criticized by Charles Lindbergh was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-b-white/to-hear-in-the-short-space-of-one-week-a-scottish-terrier-booed-by-an/) [E. B. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-white/) > [When 'The Thin Blue Line' came out, I was criticized by many people for using reenactments, as if I wasn't dedicated to the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/when-the-thin-blue-line-came-out-i-was-criticized-by-many-people-for/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [People have said things about me, and wrote and criticized me about things in the past, but it goes in one ear and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-mayweather-jr/people-have-said-things-about-me-and-wrote-and-criticized-me-about/) [Floyd Mayweather, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-mayweather-jr/) > [No one likes to be criticized, of course, but if the things we successfully strive for do not make our future selves happy, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gilbert/no-one-likes-to-be-criticized-of-course-but-if-the-things-we/) [Daniel Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gilbert/) > [“It is incredibly tempting to disparage people who didn’t “change” with us. I have criticized the words of others when the same words came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/it-is-incredibly-tempting-to-disparage-people-who-didn-t-change-with/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [If you never get criticized, chances are you aren't getting anything done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/if-you-never-get-criticized-chances-are-you-aren-t-getting-anything/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [“You may be worried about earning their respect, and that’s natural. Unfortunately, though, being overly focused on respect can backfire because it’ll make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-malone-scott/you-may-be-worried-about-earning-their-respect-and-that-s-natural/) [Kim Malone Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-malone-scott/) > [Porter is my eldest child, and I tended to be fiercely protective when he was criticized. He actually was not a big complainer about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-shreve/porter-is-my-eldest-child-and-i-tended-to-be-fiercely-protective-when/) [Susan Shreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-shreve/) > [It saddens me when public officials and bureaucrats are criticized for ulterior motives, none of which I have ever found in a government bureaucrat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-powell/it-saddens-me-when-public-officials-and-bureaucrats-are-criticized/) [Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-powell/) > [That's part of the deal. You're going to be criticized. I always welcomed that. Not everyone believes what I believe. And I welcome the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-warner/that-s-part-of-the-deal-you-re-going-to-be-criticized-i-always/) [Kurt Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-warner/) > [I get criticized for a lot of what I write about, but as far as I'm concerned I'm actually standing up and having a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-get-criticized-for-a-lot-of-what-i-write-about-but-as-far-as-i-m/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I am a proud Article III judge. We've been criticized from the beginning of this great country. What I will say about me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amul-thapar/i-am-a-proud-article-iii-judge-we-ve-been-criticized-from-the/) [Amul Thapar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amul-thapar/) > [I'm not ashamed of being successful. You know, they criticized Romney for being ashamed of it. I think we've got to inspire our kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-catsimatidis/i-m-not-ashamed-of-being-successful-you-know-they-criticized-romney/) [John Catsimatidis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-catsimatidis/) > [Michael Jordan was criticized. Barry Bonds was criticized. Some of the greats in every profession have been criticized. Not everything is peaches and cream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovan-mcnabb/michael-jordan-was-criticized-barry-bonds-was-criticized-some-of-the/) [Donovan McNabb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donovan-mcnabb/) Browse all 280 Criticized quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Getting your writing criticized can be a lot like getting skinned, and you respond to it just as enthusiastically.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Octavia E. 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