My Advice for Other Struggling Writers

If like me, you struggled because of being told you were not good enough, here are some pieces of advice to take from my experience:

• Ignore them

• Take the feedback you are given and make it your own

• Remember not all feedback is there to put you down -- it is to help you

• Ask for positive comments in addition to criticism

However, I know hearing negative feedback can make you feel horrible, so you should do things to remind yourself that you are a good writer, that you should not give up. When I get in my head about my writing, I talk to my best friend about how I am feeling, listen to happy music, read my favorite books, and remember who I am and what I have done. I also engage with the writing community, as I know there will be those who deal with similar struggles and have great advice on handling those issues.