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I saw a few days ago people were talking about critics and creators and, I guess, the value of critics. I don't know what set it off, and never saw the patient zero tweet or article.
As both a critic and a creator, I'll say that being a critic *can* be as tough as creation, BUT
As both a critic and a creator, I'll say that being a critic *can* be as tough as creation, BUT
...But that it's pretty rare that this is the case BECAUSE really good crit is rare. I see a fair amount of fine crit and a little bit of good criticism out there. But those critical piece that stop me and make me think "Damn that was good!" are incredibly rare.
And there's also a huge glut of very very bad crit out there. People just summarizing a work, people leaving it at This book was rad! or This movie sucked! when that kind of binary is the least interesting of valuable thing a critic can do.
For my own crit, I think the best of it has only ever been Good. And those pieces or paragraphs that approach Good? They were as difficult to put together as some of my better illustrations or stories.
Not timewise for sure, as any writing project is going to take Far Less Time than illustration. I wrote my whole children's book Monkess The Homunculus in a couple hours, but it took me 7 weeks of nights and weekends to illustrate it.
But yes, crit is creation. And just like there's a lot of artless crap art out there, there's also a lot of artless crap crit out there too. Pandering marketing, hollow-souled opinion, and work that wrestles with neither the work nor its context nor its history nor its craft.
So I guess, critics? If you're putting out thoughtful, worthy, bitchen work? Be proud of that. Don't let populist perceptions of your work get you down.
If you're not doing that? Give it a shot. Give yourself the chance to feel great about the work you put in.
If you're not doing that? Give it a shot. Give yourself the chance to feel great about the work you put in.
Create something indelible that helps others see others' creations in new and better light.
