All the critics who could not make their reputations by discovering you are hoping to make them by predicting hopefully your approaching impotence, failure and general drying up of natural juices. Not a one will wish you luck or hope that you will keep on writing unless you have political affiliations in which case these will rally around and speak of you and Homer, Balzac, Zola and Link Steffens.
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American Author, Journalist, Short Story Writer
Of all the cants which are canted in this canting world—though the cant of hypocrites may be the worst—the cant of criticism is the most tormenting!
—Laurence Sterne (1713–68) Irish Anglican Novelist, Clergyman
The final proof of greatness lies in being able to endure criticism without resentment.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
Court not the critic’s smile nor dread his frown.
—Walter Scott (1771–1832) Scottish Novelist, Poet, Playwright, Lawyer
It is the nature of the artist to mind excessively what is said about him. Literature is strewn with the wreckage of men who have minded beyond reason the opinions of others.
—Virginia Woolf (1882–1941) English Novelist
Critics are already made.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
It is ridiculous for any man to criticize the works of another who has not distinguished himself by his own performance.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
The good critic is he who relates the adventures of his soul among masterpieces.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
I review novels to make money, because it is easier for a sluggard to write an article a fortnight than a book a year, because the writer is soothed by the opiate of action, the crank by posing as a good journalist, and having an air hole. I dislike it. I do it and I am always resolving to give it up.
—Cyril Connolly (1903–74) British Literary Critic, Writer
It behooves the minor critic, who hunts for blemishes, to be a little distrustful of his own sagacity.
—Junius Unidentified English Writer
Think before you speak is criticism’s motto; speak before you think, creation’s.
—E. M. Forster (1879–1970) English Novelist, Short Story Writer, Essayist
If my critics saw me walking over the Thames they would say it was because I couldn’t swim.
—Margaret Thatcher (1925–2013) British Head of State
The covers of this book are too far apart.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
Of course you’re always at liberty to judge the critic. Judge people as critics, however, and you’ll condemn them all!
—Henry James (1843–1916) American-born British Novelist, Writer
A good drama critic is one who perceives what is happening in the theatre of his time. A great drama critic also perceives what is not happening.
—Kenneth Tynan (1927–80) English Theatre Critic, Writer
You are a glorious, shining sword and criticism is the whetstone. Do not run from the whetstone or you will become dull and useless. Stay sharp.
—Duane Alan Hahn
There are two sorts of beauty; one is the result of instinct, the other of study. A combination of the two, with the resulting modifications, brings with it a very complicated richness, which the art critic ought to try to discover.
—Paul Gauguin (1848–1903) French Post-Impressionist Painter
Any fool can criticize, complain, and condemn—and most fools do. But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.
—Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American Self-Help Author
Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man’s growth without destroying his roots.
—Frank A. Clark
The most vigilant self-criticism of course is necessary, but the time comes when the artist must tell himself he is good or he will go under.
—George Moore (1852–1933) Irish Writer
Criticism is the disapproval of people, not for having faults, but having faults different from your own.
—Anonymous
Critics sometimes appear to be addressing themselves to works other than those I remember writing.
—Joyce Carol Oates (b.1938) American Novelist, Short Story Writer, Playwright, Poet, Literary Critic
Let the refining and improving of your own life keep you so busy that you have little time to criticize others.
—H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (b.1940) American Self-Help Author
To be just, that is to say, to justify its existence, criticism should be partial, passionate and political, that is to say, written from an exclusive point of view, but a point of view that opens up the widest horizons.
—Charles Baudelaire (1821–67) French Poet, Art Critic, Essayist, Translator
The artist doesn’t have time to listen to the critics. The ones who want to be writers read the reviews. The ones who want to write don’t have the time to read reviews.
—William Faulkner (1897–1962) American Novelist
There is no defense against criticism except obscurity.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
Unless a reviewer has the courage to give you unqualified praise, I say ignore the bastard.
—John Steinbeck (1902–68) American Novelist, Short Story Writer, Journalist
The pleasure of criticism takes from us that of being deeply moved by very beautiful things.
—Jean de La Bruyere (1645–96) French Satiric Moralist, Author
To criticize is to appreciate, to appropriate, to take intellectual possession, to establish in fine a relation with the criticized thing and to make it one’s own.
—Henry James (1843–1916) American-born British Novelist, Writer
The difference between critics and audiences is that one is a group of humans and one is not
—Edward Albee (1928–2016) American Playwright