I went for a run the other day. And sure enough, some kind of insect flew into my mouth. Or rather into my throat. It was as dis-pleasant as it was disgusting. I tried to cough, tried to throw up. Spitting for all I was worth. A moment later I was back into rhythm running. Not really knowing where the fly had gone. What was I to do? I ran on feeling dirty.

Naturally, I realized I must have swallowed some metaphor. Thinking about it, the fly in my throat seemed like an analogy to getting a bad review. You can’t protect yourself against it, neither can you let it stop you, nor can you let the fear of it make you decide not to do your art. If you’re on a mission, have a set goal, your job is to keep on going.

Spit out what you can and swallow the rest. What doesn’t kill you is protein.