I remember showing my story to another pair of eyes for the first time last year. I was a freshman who had just switched my major to English with an emphasis in Professional Writing, and I just knew I was going to find a way be the greatest writer around.

I had been writing this story since my sophomore year of high school that I hoped I could eventually turn into a novel and in my mind, I knew it was good. Even though I barely had the premise down and I was only a few chapters in, the story was mine and it came from my own mind and creativity (which is something I've always felt I was lacking in). Now at the time, I had a friend who was also trying to break into the writing field and she was writing a story, as well. We discussed it one day and thought, "Why not swap and exchange opinions and ideas about each others' stories?" It would have been a fantastic idea, if not for one thing-

I was NOT ready for criticism.

I remember watching her eyes scan disinterestedly over the brief chapter or two I showed her. She would constantly look up from reading to laugh at something a person around us said, then reluctantly return her eyes to the paper out of a sense of obligation. When she determined she was done, she handed my laptop back to me and said, "Yeah, it's good". And that was all.

There was no spark in her eyes or facial expression, as I imagined there would be. There was no excitement over the fact that I put my time and effort into creating something I thought was really good. While there wasn't a "Deborah, you suck. Pick a different major," there was a distinct lack of interest and a glazed over look that only comes from reading something you didn't particularly want to.

That day crushed my spirit. When I graduated high school as salutatorian, I remember giving a speech on the importance of chasing your dreams and not being afraid of failure. That speech was the only thing I could think of on the day my story got subconsciously rejected, because in my speech, I hadn't accounted for the critics. I hadn't accounted for what would happen when at first you did encounter failure. I hadn't accounted for how on earth you're supposed to pick up your feet and try again when you're quite simply not all that great at the thing you love to do.

Honestly, it stung quite a bit. And for a very long time afterwards, I didn't add to my story. To this day, it sits somewhere in the files in my laptop untouched, because I'm afraid to continue working on something that's just going to end up being sub-par. I don't want to put my time, what little creativity I have, and effort into something if it's not going to be excellent in the end... and this is a struggle I think every writing or English major understands.

When you become a writer (whether it be self-designated or professionally), you will always have critics. These could come from your family, your friends, people you vaguely know, or most likely, the broad audience of complete strangers you will have if what you write is published online. When the critiques are placed on fluff pieces you don't particularly care about or amusing little bits you created just for laughs, the sting is lessened. Those stories aren't the ones you most care about. However, when the critiques are placed on the pieces you spent the most time on, the stories you felt most needed to be told, and the ideas you put your own heart and soul into, the negative words that you will inevitably hear from some corners are as sharp as a knife.

How then, do we as writers move forward when our works are laughed at, ridiculed, or horrendously criticized? In the moment, it almost feels like we can't. Nobody wants to be mocked and this painful feeling is doubled when it's for something you honestly thought was brilliant in your own mind.

I still get these moments sometimes, as I believe every aspiring writer does. When they come, it's difficult to continue moving forward and continue to strive to write what comes from your heart. It's difficult to be vulnerable and put yourself out there for the huge, sarcastic, critical world to view. We don't want to spend our time working on something that's beautiful in our own minds, only to have our hopes crushed by those who would disagree.

However, when these moments come, I have to constantly remind myself of something I didn't mention in my graduation speech. Although the world will be tough on you, although it will mock your every idea and talent, although there will always be someone smarter and better at what you do than you are... you have a unique voice that you cannot allow to be drowned out by the world.

In a society where everyone's a publisher of thoughts and opinions daily, it may seem difficult to believe that your voice is any different or special. And believe me, the world will tell you over and over and over and over again that it's not. But your job, and my job in those times is to not give up, to not allow the opinions of others to let us disappear into the feeling that we're not good enough. Being a great writer, or really a great anything, doesn't just happen in a day. Your talent can be either mediocre or phenomenal, but your skill cannot be developed if you allow the critics to push you down every time. At some point, you have to rise up, clean yourself up, and try again.

I think it's time I take my own advice and don't allow something as frail and flighty as the opinions of others to stop me from pursuing my dreams and what I believe I am called to do. In fact, I'm about to open that old Word doc right now and continue adding to the story. The question I have for you is this: when everyone is telling you you're not good enough and all of the odds seem against you, what will you choose to do? Will you allow yourself to be kicked to the dirt and have your dreams demolished by others or will you choose to stand and continue to let your voice be heard?