Critique is important to every writer, whether or not we want to admit it. We all need to know what other people think of our work. What were they expecting? Is that what they got? Was there anything they simply didn't understand? Did they notice a giant gaping plot hole that you, as the writer, completely didn't see? (that's happened to me before, so don't feel bad)
It's important to get decent critiques if you want to improve. The best critiques often come from people who like to read, not people who like to write. They tend to get into the meat and potatoes of the thing, whereas sometimes other writers stick to a more technical critique. Both are useful, but hopefully a writer will recognize things like run-on sentences and missing commas during the editing process. So, don't be afraid to ask someone who doesn't write to look at your work.
If you don't have anyone to ask in person, or are not comfortable asking someone in person (every writer is self-conscious sometimes. Don't worry about it.) try an online forum. If you critique other's work, likely they'll critique yours, and to top it off, you'll have all of their notes written down with references in your excerpt. This kind of thing is invaluable when you're editing.
Oh, and the most important thing to remember: even if the critique seems harsh, it's to help you, not hurt you. Don't let critiques hurt your feelings or kill your confidence. A critique is given to help you improve, that's all. And let's face it, as writers, we never stop improving or learning.
There are places like the Absolute Write Water Cooler, which are huge and have tens of thousands of members, or if you prefer something smaller where you can actually network with other users and form relationships, drop me a line. I can sneak you into a private forum (it's cool. I know the admin) and we'll have some fun together!
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