My pack knows how to share. Occasionally one dog attempts to steal an inappropriate nibble from another’s bowl, but they mostly head to their spots and wait for whatever treat is coming their way. When I offer a pan with meat drippings or even a post-dinner plate or two, they politely help with the pre-rinse as a group. No one growls or tries to push the others out of the way. Each simply finds his or her corner of the offering and licks away.
Not all dogs are like that. I remember when my former partner Eric and I picked up Hoover, then 12 weeks old, and his half-brother Dashiell, just 9 weeks old. The breeder who had flown in from Seattle had brought along a third puppy, a super cute little female from Dashiell’s litter, for another couple. The yard was full of English Cocker Spaniels since the owners of the house showed dogs and other friends had brought theirs to visit. At feeding time, someone set down a communal bowl for the puppies to share. Dashiell’s tiny sister rushed over and held off all the other dogs with toothy snarls and impressively nasty growls. It turns out that Cockers are a matriarchal breed. Thank God I didn’t get a girl, I thought.
Clearly not all dogs know how to react appropriately when something of value is shared. The same goes for people.
When I was in college, one of my writing professors shot me down in a way that still haunts me all these years later. “It’s nice,” he said of a short story I’d penned and had just read aloud to the class. “But so what!” I’ve barely written any fiction since.
So be careful when sharing writing you’ve done. Start by evaluating the candidates you might want to share your work with. Some people—whether family, friends, teachers, coaches or writing group participants—feel empowered when they tear others down. That won’t help you. Look for people who will focus on what you’re trying to achieve with your writing rather than their own opinion of what your writing should be. And make sure that they can provide constructive input rather than a snarl, a growl or worse.
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