My Writing Prime Directive

This doesn't apply to all writers, perhaps, but I think it applies to all members of The Writers Guild.

I don't make changes unless I get paid to do so.  And I mean more than 35 cents.  About 1000X that would be in the parking lot of the ballpark.

This is what I learned and here's a good, short, example of it.  Before digital publishing was what it is now, and paper was the only game in town, I was trying to sell Nothing Serious (titled Disconnected then).  I sent it to an agent.  She said it started too fast.  I sent it to a former editor at Berkley and she said it started too slow.

I can't make that change.  I don't know what that is.  And I'm not going to bother trying until I'm under contract and you're paying me.  They didn't pay me so it never got changed.  No one's complained since.

On the internet everyone gets to have and opinion and broadcast it.

As with the agents and editors and their conflicting opinions, it's not worth paying much attention to that kind of random input.

The only time I change anything without a paycheck is when I believe in it.  Otherwise you become a windsock.