"Critics? How do they happen? I know how it happened to me. I would send a poem or story to a magazine and they would say this doesn't suit our needs precisely but on the other hand you sound interesting. Would you be interested in doing a review?"

This quote by Leslie Fiedler speaks with the concept that becoming a critic is not something that is necessarily sought out, however rather something that is used to those who have actually already demonstrated an interest in writing. Fiedler suggests that he became a critic after submitting a poem or story to a publication and the editors reacting favorably to his work. They then asked him if he would have an interest in doing a review, which he accepted. This quote talks to the idea that becoming a critic is not something that is necessarily sought out, however rather something that is provided to those who have actually currently shown an interest in writing. It likewise suggests that becoming a critic is a natural progression for those who have currently developed themselves as writers.