I've been browsing around here on Da lately, especially on critic accounts, and what strikes me again and again are people's demands for the critics to present their art or fiction.

I find that incredibly weird, as the two actually require different sets of skills. While as a writer I most certainly benefit from the skill if a critic, they are not absolutely essential to me, just as the ability to write/draw is not essential to a critic. As I see it, criticism is to observe/read a piece of art/fiction and spot both good and bad things about it and then comment on it. A good critic will mention the bad things, so the artist/writer can improve them, and the good things, so the artist/author knows where they stand. Frankly, I believe a good critique should mostly focus on the negative, as that is what's needed to improve. The nice stuff is just a pat on the back.

So, I guess what I'm getting at is that while someone might not be a super writer, they can be a most excellent critic. The ability to create art does not automatically make you a great critic, just as being a good critic don't necessarily make you a good artist. So instead of demanding to see credentials, people should learn to ignore their ego and listen to what has been said. Unless you're a troll victim, people won't call your stuff crap without a reason.

And another thing I've observed here is the inability of many deviants to take critique. While Da mostly is a place of sycophants screaming "KAWAI!" at the top of their lungs (which might cause a puffed-up ego), you should never ignore an honest, negative critique. Even if you don't like having bad shit said about your stuff. Why put something in a public area if you can't stand people disliking it? Because there will always be some of those, you know... A person taking the time to tell you what you're doing wrong and possibly how to improve is doing you a much greater favour than those "KAWAI!"-sceeching masses. Because you can not get better if all you hear is "That's perfect."

And... news-flash: You're never going to achieve perfection. All you can do is reach for it. Good luck.