Thank You Shannon!

Okay, so if any of you out there are writers I'm sure you have found yourself frustrated with those you love when you ask them to read your writing.  I know they mean well when they give criticism, but why is it that I find myself hurt when they do?  I mean, I asked for it!  Let me ask this, don't you find it just as hurtful and unhelpful when someone you love hands back your story and says, "yeah, it was good," and then they just continue on with life like your story meant nothing to them?  Well, it has the tendency to annoy me!  I want to know what they liked about it!  And if there was nothing good don't stand there and tell me that it was a piece of crap and then expect me to handle it well!  (not that anyone's ever said it quite that bluntly... well except for a journalism professor I had a couple of years ago, but that's another story.)  I stumbled on a blog post of one of my favorites today, Shannon Hale, and she had the perfect way of telling the loved one of a writer what to do and what not to do when asked to read a story.  I will be sharing it with my family because it explains a writer's need so well.  (Now I can only hope that they will read it and take it seriously.)  I hope you check it out!  You can click her name above for the link or you can click here.  Happy reading, writing and whatever else you do!