Hi Sheree,

Thanks! It’s something I’ve had to say to myself from time to time, and I don’t know any other copywriters who haven’t had to say it to themselves, either. 🙂

Thanks for commenting!
Nicki

Hi Rich,

These are all great points; sometimes an “objective review” just absolutely isn’t! You’re right: It’s important to have confidence in your work, but then also to balance that with the ability to be open to insightful and useful feedback. It’s not necessarily easy to balance both, but it leads to the best ads!

Thanks for commenting!
Nicki

Excited and nervous, I entered with grounded expectations as I had attended the prior year’s event which I realistically wasn’t ready for. My first reviewer was positive, even his criticism had a apprentice type feel. He pointed on the good, and when it came to the bad, he had an honest tone that didn’t leave me defeated. My second reviewer was different.

Checking his phone the whole time, his review was shaded more towards harsh than helpful. When all was said and done I was a bit shaken as I nervously walked away. But, a few minutes and some deep breaths later I realized that even if I had good/great work I wouldn’t have gotten a true review because he didn’t want to be there.

My 3rd review was much more like my first. At the end of the event, they have what is referred to as the open period, where you can go up to any CD you’d like. I had my eye set on one particular CD whose work I admired. Much to my dismay, he was in such a hurry that he flipped through, gave some one word answers and left.

So, the moral of the story is to have confidence in your work. What one person loves, someone else may not understand or like. When multiple people make the same comment, that’s a different story.