“Don’t take anyone’s writing
advice too seriously.”
(Lev
Grossman)
Yes, that.^
Including my advice. Including my advice to consider
Lev Grossman’s advice. Seriously.
One of the tell-telling signs of an insecure professional
is how they treat professional advice. They will typically heed it blindly,
with reverence, swaying in contradictory breezes this way and that. Or they
will reject advice willy-nilly.
Once a certain competence sets in, these extremes
fade into the gray zone. Advice considered, not treated as holy writ, and then accepted/modified/rejected.
Lev Grossman is a writer and critic at the top of
his game. His simple advice, to “not take too seriously,” is an efficient
articulation of that gray zone. It isn’t a NO, it isn’t a YES, and it modifies
the word “seriously” with a nifty qualifier.
I listen, consider, and move on. I wholeheartedly
applaud you for doing the same with anything I ever wrote, or will write, in
this blog.
6 comments:
Good advice! I need to remember not to take things too seriously.
Especially MY advice :)
Well said.
Great reminder. I need to find out why I'm not seeing your new posts pop up in my feed. I may have to re-sign up. This is a good reminder.
I've noticed many things not working (or working differently) since May 25. I assume it has to do with Blogger new setting in compliance with GTPR
I use the word "feedback." I ask for it when I need a fresh set of eyes to look at what I'm working on (fiber art) because I know something's not quite right but I can't see clearly to a solution. Feedback or constructive critique offers the possibility of another perspective and a way out of the stuck place. I always have the option whether to run with the feedback or decide on a different approach. Advice, if not solicited, too often is not welcomed by the advisee. But if we ask for it, let's be prepared to listen and then choose.
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