If people make negative comments about you, then they aren't worthy of your attention. My father always said to treat people with the same contempt they reserve for you. In practice, it's much more simple to ignore them and move on if you can. Remember they're foolishly missing out on knowing someone awesome.

Often, the kind of people who make comments about others are trying to divert attention away from their own faults, the main one usually being their capacity to display petty unreasoned malice. Who really wants to be around someone like that?

And if you're a writer, then you are. No one can tell you otherwise. You don't even need to write. If you're thinking about it, and dreaming about it, sooner or later you're going to do it. And don't fall into the trap of confusing the act of writing with success. Success is more about luck than anything else.

Charlie