Advice is a funny thing. You never know how it will change another person.
And yet, asking for advice is pretty common. Especially as an interview question. I find myself asking other authors, agents, and editors this very question when interviewing them:
What advice do you have for someone who wants to be a published writer?
And that’s when I realized advice is a funny thing.
When I was younger, I was told to color inside the lines.
When I was in my twenties, I was told to think outside the box.
When I was in my thirties, I realized there was no box and I was going to cross the lines and break the boundaries, and it was all based on advice.
“If you really want a career in publishing, then do what needs to be done to make it happen.”
Best. Advice. Ever.
But it’s not the best advice for everyone. Some people can’t do what needs to be done, because they have other priorities or other limitations. They have boxed themselves inside the lines, and they might need a different bit of advice.
So I’m always careful with the advice I give, and I’m always open-minded toward the advice given by others. But maybe that’s just me.
How about you? What’s the best advice you’ve ever given or received?
As always, thanks for stopping by!
