“A word on critics: All writers will encounter critics, both professional and amateur, from the moment they begin writing. Remember that those men and women who are paid to share their opinion on the hard work of others fall into two classes of person. One, the man who critiques because he cannot write and, two, the writer who churns out reviews because her writing alone cannot support her family. Both of these individuals, of course, want nothing more than for you and your book to fail, just as you, naturally, want them to fail at their chosen life’s work. Those critics closer to us, in our families and our social circles, are much harder to endure. But the same principle applies. Remember that they hate you out of jealousy and you, too, are free to pick on their careers, belittle their life choices, and sue them for sole custody of the baby.” —Judson Merrill, today on The Outlet from Electric Literature