Thanks, Ellen! And it sure is lovely to see you here. I'm so glad your eye is feeling better!!

Isn't that the annoying and hilarious truth?

That's music to my ears, VM!!

Awwwww, thanks Selene. And yes, I totally think the right teacher will appear if we look for them.

That classic wisdom: "the teacher will appear when the student is ready" And we do have to stay ready. That's why reading this site is a regular practice for me--it helps me keep stretching.

Critique group members can serve as mentors who help lift your writing to the next level.

Case in point. A writer in our group was very defensive about her work, lots of tension. So we let it go. A few months later she said, "You guys were right. I ended up removing wide swaths from my chapters. I'm a different writer now."

Jenny, you hit it on the nose. You need to be ready to be receptive as well as have the right mentors/materials.

Great article!

Man, I know this feeling! And the 1/2 to 2/3 stopping point.

I think it is excellent that Jane Cleland resonated with you! There are books on my shelf that I couldn't read until I read other books. There are teachers I couldn't hear until I heard other teachers. It's fascinating to see what is the key for each of us to be able to turn the lock on skills.

The only thing that ever breaks my heart is when writers stop reaching and striving to be better. Usually, it's because they don't understand the help they receive, or because they are too daunted by how much work it will take to fix their story. Those are both valid reasons, but it's still heart breaking to see a good writer turn their back on a shot at becoming a great writer.

Writing is a supportive community for the most part, and I really feel that if you seek the knowledge you will find it. Sometimes you even find it at a reasonable price (or even free)!