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Transcript

If You Can't Say Anything Nice · The Daily Writer

• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Daily Rider Podcast, where we bring you tips and inspiration each day to help you build habits for writing success.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: For more resources, including your free Daily Rider Starter Kit, visit DailyWriterLife.com.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: As writers, we spend a lot of time worrying about people who don't like our writing.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: But what happens when the table is turned?
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: What happens when you're the person who hates somebody else's book?
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's an author whose marketing you can't stand.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you read a novel that you thought was badly written.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you completely disagreed with an author's perspective on politics, religion, parenting, or some other topic.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: The point is you don't like the book, and now you have to decide what you're going to do with those emotions.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: Well, the great American author Mark Twain was somebody who didn't mince words, even when it came to his feelings about other writers.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: He once said this I haven't any right to criticize books, and I don't do it except when I hate them.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: I often want to criticize Jane Austen, but her books madden me so that I can't conceal my frenzy from the reader.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: And therefore I have to stop every time I begin.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: Every time I read Pride and Prejudice, I want to dig her up and beat her over the skull with her own shin bone.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: Well, something tells me that Mark Twain would have lasted about three seconds on social media.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: But, you know, honestly, maybe you felt that way about another writer at times.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: It's tempting to leave a negative review or to want to post a sarcastic comment on social media, but most of the time we would do really well to just follow the golden rule, which says, do unto others what you would have them do unto you.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: So I encourage you to be kind and remember what your mom taught you, which is if you can't say anything nice, it's best not to say anything at all.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, after all, more than anybody else, we writers should understand the power of words.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: But the problem with being powerful with words is that sometimes our words get the best of us, and we can use our words in a hurtful way.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: So sometimes that power of using words is best kept to ourselves.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, after all, no book, except maybe the Bible, is meant for everybody.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: Your book isn't for everyone, and sometimes another author's book is simply not for you.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: So here's today's challenge.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: Hold back when you want to say something negative about a book or another author on social media.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: I know it's a challenge sometimes, especially for those those of you who get a little wound up and maybe you get emotional about things and you tend to be sharp with your words or you like to argue.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: It's easy to do, but I just want to encourage you, my friend, just hold back.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: You will never regret not saying something hurtful.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: Alright, I hope that helps.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time.