Note: I know this is a day early, but I don't post on Tuesdays, so you're gonna have to see it now :o)

I’ve noticed lately in a lot of writer’s forums (especially in LinkedIn, I really ought to keep away from those, they make me mad), that people like to answer questions with the opinions of other, more established professionals. “This agent says this, that publisher says that, this author says this that and the other …” Well, I’m not participating in discussions to read other people’s opinions, I’m participating to read YOURS. If I wasn’t, I’d be browsing that agent/publisher/author’s site, not reading a public forum.

Before I go on, I must point out, that researching the opinions of professionals in the publishing industry is only going to benefit your chances of getting published. I’m not in any way telling you not to do your research. The more information you gather the wiser you’ll become. But this information should be used to form the basis of your own opinions. Who do you agree with? Disagree with? And why? Whose opinions are you ambivalent about, or indifferent about? Why? Now …what’s YOUR opinion on the matter? And … you guessed it … WHY? And how is this information going to help you move forward?

Have a think about it.

Have you ever participated in some sort of discussion about writing and reiterated the information of others? Do you do perhaps do this because you are insecure your own opinions aren’t valid? Or stupid? Or totally and utterly wrong?

Don’t be.

Most people will respect you a whole lot more if you come out with an opinion that is clearly your own. Take a moment to think about how YOU feel about the issue. If you want to support your opinion with someone else’s opinion, go for it, but do it in a way that puts you in control of what you’re saying, rather than hiding behind the safety net of someone else’s validated words. Pull out that pocket knife, slash open the net, and …

BE YOU. BEING YOU IS THE BEST THING YOU CAN EVER BE.

Have you ever hidden behind the opinions of others? Why?