Obvious.

Someone told me today that “…and you suck as a writer.  I only said what I said so you would STFU about writing.”

Did it sting?  At first, I won’t lie.

But instead of going and ranting about the comment and who sent it to me who shall remain nameless (or email-name-less,) I thought about it and came to the following conclusions:

• I don’t care.  I never said I was Vonnegut, or even close.
• I do what I enjoy doing, nothing more, nothing less.
• I have a book on Amazon.  It may suck to YOU, but for some reason Germany enjoys the shit out of it.
• I have four books in the “waiting,” or “editing” stages now; with two more which I need to finish.
• I have friends who are real writers who ask my help with ideas and editing.  I take that as a hint someone does think I have skill and my friends are the ones who will support me, not take obvious shots.

My whole thesis is this: Once upon a time, criticism from one single person would have made me stop writing completely and hang my keyboard up to pasture.  Not sure why I did, but I took it too personally, and it sucked trying to get back into writing after someone said something hurtful.  For some reason this doesn’t bother me anymore.  Maybe I’ve grown up a small bit or maybe, just maybe, to quote my friend Marshall Mathers: “I just don’t give a fuck.”

I did a similar thing with drawing, with comic books, with music and with anything else creative I’ve done.  I enjoy writing and no matter what, you can’t take my enjoyment away.

The more I thought about it, I came to this conclusion: Someone telling you something OBVIOUS isn’t hurtful.  It’s like saying I’m tall, or chubby.  No shit.  Guess what?  I’m also a white and like to east fast food.  Thanks for telling me something I already know.

Here’s my thought, and it’s a doozy: If you don’t like what or how I write, don’t read it.  It’s the same opinion I have for people who don’t like porn, or for people who are complaining about “50 Shades of Grey.”

I don’t need your hate, I don’t need your sympathy and I definitely don’t need your criticism.  Send all you want, I’ll add it to my “Spam” archive to let my READERS enjoy the comments.

And no, this isn’t a personal attack by any means.  I’m proud of myself for not getting depressed after showing someone I thought was a friend some prose – nothing more.  And for the first time I can honestly say “I’m not down after receiving negative criticism.”

On that note, I’m going to bed happy.

-Me

P.S.  Yes this was a random email from a stranger on twitter – no one I know in real-life.  I wanted to clarify this since I know I’ll get questions later.