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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/18419
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I have two degrees in Creative Writing (that and $4.50 will get you a latte at Starbucks). For many years, I was in a writing group with several excellent writers, and we had different approaches to "advice" in the sense of working with different teachers. One of my fellow writers fought tooth and nail against every teacher, insisting on doing things her own way, no matter what they advised. I took a different route -- in each course, I essentially surrendered myself to that particular teacher, doing it their way, and then when the course was over, seeing what I got out of it that was useful to me.

My best advice is to read advice and then forget it -- just go write. Don't worry about advice or feedback or criticism until you've written what you want to write -- in some cases, your work will be too fragile to expose to the criticism of others. When you've written something that you're satisfied with, share it with someone you trust, a teacher, a fellow writer, a friend. D. Elliot Lamb makes an excellent point about workshop feedback -- it may be serving the responder much more than it is serving you.

Good luck. Stay focused on writing what pleases _you_ and you will be likely to succeed.

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