This Is How You Grow Thick Skin as a Writer

When I was in art school in college, I loved our weekly critique sessions. I had the unique experience of being with a cohort of artists who genuinely and eagerly wanted to know how to improve their craft. So our critique sessions would turn into wonderful conversations that included tips on the mechanics of making and thoughtful questions and ideas about the creative process.

It was a bubble of feel-good comradery that would soon burst when a cantankerous artist with moderate success in painting came to visit our podunk, rural art school. He was…