Recently a friend IRL asked me to check out her work.
I have the piece with me right now, and if I were an editor, I'd be out of red ink. Thing is she recently started writing, and of course, the great majority of us suck at first. Unfortunately for me, she's no exception to the rule but I'm afraid she'll take my critique personally.
I don't have the poker face of lying to her face and saying her work is good when it could use tons of improvement; but she has the habit of taking matters personally and she's still somewhat childish. It's fine for a sixteen years old, I suppose (I am 16 either way), but if she wants a future as a writer she needs to stop thinking any sort of criticism towards her is mean and unjustified.
Dealing with writers who yet have to develop thick skin is one thing, and dealing with writers like this who happen to be close friends is another.
Have you been in this situation before? How did you manage your way out?
I have the piece with me right now, and if I were an editor, I'd be out of red ink. Thing is she recently started writing, and of course, the great majority of us suck at first. Unfortunately for me, she's no exception to the rule but I'm afraid she'll take my critique personally.
I don't have the poker face of lying to her face and saying her work is good when it could use tons of improvement; but she has the habit of taking matters personally and she's still somewhat childish. It's fine for a sixteen years old, I suppose (I am 16 either way), but if she wants a future as a writer she needs to stop thinking any sort of criticism towards her is mean and unjustified.
Dealing with writers who yet have to develop thick skin is one thing, and dealing with writers like this who happen to be close friends is another.
Have you been in this situation before? How did you manage your way out?