As long as you have a burning need to answer yahoos, you will always care what yahoos think, and yahoos will always impact you.  When you reach the point where you feel more satisfied giving yahoos absolutely zero to grasp and use to beat you with, life gets better.

I can think of some authors who still need to learn this. If someone sent one a ‘fan’ letter one found so stupid one was tempted to include its substance in the afterword of one’s next book, for example. I guess that’s when they are at the point where they are no longer paying attention to editing guidance.

Of course, I’m only talking about verbal retaliation.  If you have a chance to have some fun with them physically, I’m all for that part, obeying all relevant/enforceable statutes and inserting here all the necessary rear end covering.