1. Don’t try to please everyone. It’s not possible. Really — it’s not. Don’t set yourself up for unnecessary stress.

2. Don’t obsess over following trends. It’s good to know what’s popular in publishing, but you don’t want to write about things you aren’t passionate about just to get noticed. People see through that.

3. Write from your heart. If it matters to you, it will matter to someone else.

4.  Feedback is not a guarantee. Criticism often is. Don’t take it personally — but don’t be afraid to take some of it to heart, constructively, of course.