Look to Your Conscience

Quote for the Week

Susan B. Anthony said: Forget conventionalisms; forget what the world thinks of you stepping out of your place; think your best thoughts, speak your best words, work your best works, looking to your own conscience for approval.

Too many writers, or even civilians (those who don't aspire to writing careers), spend way too much time thinking about what other people think of them. So much energy is wasted in worrying about what the world thinks. What do they think of your writing and what do they extrapolate from your writing about you as a person - your personality, morals, attitudes?

If you care too much about what others think, you'll be personally miserable, and you'll be professionally crippled. When you're writing, it's death to your manuscript to think about what Mom or Dad will say when they read this. Or what your kids will say. Your minister. Your co-workers.

Look to your own moral compass and to your own conscience. Disregard the world. Learn early to ask: who the frack cares what someone else thinks?

Takeaway Truth

What's important is what you think - what you say to yourself when all those yammering at you finish speaking.