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Harper Lee's Advice for Writers · 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: Do you remember what it feels like to be criticized for your writing?
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: When you do, different memories come flooding back for different people.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it was in junior high when a teacher pointed out all your mistakes.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it was in college when you submitted an essay to a contest and you didn't even place.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe it was more recently when you published a blog post or you wrote a social media post that somebody didn't like and they let you know about it in no uncertain terms.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: These memories can be painful because it feels like people are criticizing you directly.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: They're questioning your personal worth and they're stomping on your creative identity.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: Don't they know how important this work is to you?
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: And why don't they understand that whenever they criticize your work, they're stealing a little piece of your heart?
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: But honestly, that's precisely the problem.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: We're far too close to our work to be objective about it.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: What's more, the criticism often says more about the person doing the criticizing than it actually does about you.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: Harper Lee, who wrote, of course, To Kill a Mockingbird, she knew a thing or two about dealing with critics.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: You don't write one of the most popular books of the 20th century without getting your fair share of criticism.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: One time she said, I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent, he would be wise to develop a thick hide.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: So the question is, how do we do this?
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: How do we develop a thick skin when so much of our writing and our creative work feels really personal?
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: And I think the answer is pretty simple.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: We have to approach our writing like any professional approaches their work.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: Think about a plumber, a contractor, a dentist, an attorney, or a teacher.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: All those people show up on time, they put in the work and then they let it go.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: When something isn't right, they try not to take it personally, but instead they look for ways to get better at their job.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: Most important, they separate their identity from their work.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: I think there's an important lesson here for all of us as writers.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: You are not your work.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_00: You produce your work, but your personal worth and the value of you as an individual and your personal identity, it shouldn't be tied directly to your work.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: So the next time you publish your writing, wherever that might be, remember that this is not a job for thin-skinned writers.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: You will have your critics and your haters, we all do at times, and whenever that happens, remember that you are separate from the work you produce.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: If you keep that perspective, your mental health and your inner sense of security are gonna be a lot better, I promise.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: So here's today's challenge.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: Ask yourself whether you sometimes take criticism a little bit too personally, and I encourage you to be honest with yourself.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: Well, a big thanks to today's sponsor, Total Life Freedom School.
• 3:02
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• 3:14
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• 3:22
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• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: Best of all, Total Life Freedom School is only nine bucks a month, and you can get your first two lessons for just one dollar.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: If you're ready to stop dreaming and ready to start building a life and a business you love, head on over to dailywriterlife.comslash TLF School to check it out.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening, and I'll see you tomorrow.