‘Every reader is a Critic’ – Seun Odukoya.

This quote got me thinking. My friend, Seun, left it as a reply to one of my comments on a forum topic.

I have met readers that have shed tears after reading a sad novel. I have met readers that dream about characters they came across in a novel. I have met readers that have changed their religion after reading a novel. There are readers who wouldn’t sleep at night for days after reading horror writers like Raymond Elenwoke.

I have also met readers who would not hesitate to call a novel rubbish, just after flipping through the first four pages. I have met readers who would have wanted some of the tragic novels they were reading to end happily. I have met readers whose eyes dig up errors that could have resulted out of a writer’s imperfection.

Of the two categories of readers, who gains more out of a novel? To me, not every reader is a critic. What do you think?

@Seun-Odukoya: you have made too much sense. Every person on earth is a critic…in one way or the other. The only thing is some people have a well-informed OPINION of what they think a writer’s work should be or not be (the kind of people who are tagged critics in the professional sense). Aside this, everyone who reads your work and feels moved to comment on it automatically becomes a critic. Whether such a person criticizes well is another issue entirely.

Again criticism is a useful tool for learning one’s art. When you criticize someone, you set in motion a mutual opportunity for learning. Analyzing a writer’s work sometimes helps you to see writing from a different perspective which ultimately helps you improve your art. Every writer must criticize and receive criticism if he is to improve IMHO.

Yes o – there are some people who just talk some nonsense to get noticed…they don’t know what they’re talking about.

And then, there are some who know what they want to say – they just don’t know how to say it.

So…