It's hard to avoid hearing about "The Haters". Everywhere you look, there is someone being told to ignore them, usually without much specific context. I cannot state emphatically enough how counter-productive this attitude can be.
It's true that there will always be nasty people in this world, and those people will always be frustratingly vocal. However, I have seen far too many artists dismiss any and all criticism as "just jealous haters", rejecting feedback that could be useful, even if it is a little harsh.
It can hurt to hear anything bad being said about your work. But if you want to improve, you need to be able to hear it.
Dismissing negative feedback is a missed opportunity. If someone offers you an objective perspective on what you could be doing better, you should take a moment to consider it, even if you ultimately disagree with it. More importantly, if a friend tells you that someone criticised their work, you're not helping them by insisting they simply "ignore the haters". Supporting someone means doing what you can to help them improve, and sometimes, that involves helping them see what they're doing wrong.
We all need to take care of ourselves, and to do what we can to avoid being disheartened. It can be a fine line to walk between keeping our confidence high, and being open to hearing about our flaws and mistakes. But if you can work on it, it will be one of the most valuable skills you ever learn.
-SJJ
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