There will always be some spoilsport who thinks that they represent the art police when they declare that there is "no smudgeing allowed" (even though your work sells like hotcakes).
If smudging LOOKS good...it IS good!
I say ignore the turkeys and keep on smudgin'... Mark my words, someday publishers will fight over the manuscript "Pencil Smudging Technique for Serious Artists" by Matt Terhune.