The Best Advice I Can Offer A Writer

Here's the thing . . . if you're a writer, you're a writer. 

If you've written a book, you're an author. 

Enuff said, right?
 
Maybe. 

I cringe when I hear writers telling other writers what they HAVE to do in order to be a success. The most important thing a writer needs to do is to be true to his or herself, true to his or her story, and true to his or her characters.

HOWEVER, I cringe even more when I hear writers diss people whose advice they don't agree with. You can disregard advice, you know, without dissing the adviser. Perhaps not all advice is given as a way to offend;, maybe sometimes it's actually as an offer of help? 

I've said before, and I'll say again . . . all writers should forever be students of the craft. And you can't grow without criticism. The trick is to take what you feel applies to you, and gracefully disregard what you believe does not. 

The bigger trick is being objective enough to know the difference. 

We all want to think we're already experts (I think so, everyday, for about five whole minutes!), but when we get to the point when we can say, "Shyt, he can't tell me nothing," then we've made a conscious decision to stunt our own growth.

So, yes . . . always do you, and be true to what you write, but always be open to improve.

That's my advice. 

For what it's worth.