Ms M, I'm with the others. When I first started sharing my work, it was ALL agony and hurt feelings. Then I experienced how helpful thoughtful critiquing (not "criticism") can be. I worked for 3 years with a small critiquing group led by a writing teacher. We came to know each other so well that it was very easy to take what we liked and what was useful and leave the rest.

I welcome all forms of comment...even from those who haven't learned how to be polite! For example, when I sent my novel to the first POD publisher and paid for a review, I received a scathing response. I went to another publisher but I still paid attention to his (her?) comments and took out 7,000 unnecessary words. But when my novel is a success, I'm writing that person the "big mistake, huge mistake" letter (a la Pretty Woman)!

Sometimes for fun, I'll even take a suggestion for a huge change and just try it out...see if "I" think it's better that way. All sorts of ways to skin a cat (oops...sorry animal lovers!), Karen