Most writing advice on first drafts goes something like this: start writing and don't look back, get all your ideas out, don't worry about spelling, punctuation, even plot consistency. Just get the first draft done so you can then go back and revise it. Don't expect your first draft to be any good... Continue...

Getting good feedback is one of the biggest challenges for a writer. First there's the awful vulnerability of opening yourself—your very heart—to judgment. And then, if you can manage to survive that, there is the challenge of getting good feedback that actually helps you grow as a writer.... Continue...