Inadvertently or not, Sarah Hoyt and Janet Morris have been the two most influential authors in my career. I take what they both tell me very seriously (or just spread amongst the masses to be helpful, which is still very helpful) and, using what they’ve told me, have accomplished far more than I thought I ever would.

So today Sarah had a helpful article here which talks about wreckers and builders. I’m certain all of us, one time or another, were in a writer’s group that had one person (I had three in mine… I lasted four weeks before I quit and stopped writing for six months) who would constantly be the person who tore every little thing in your novel (or short story) down. They wouldn’t offer helpful advice, just neuter you without pain meds and then wonder why you “can’t take it”.

I hated those people. And hate is a very strong word.