Well, you've made it, congratulations. After all, you're working on obtaining a degree in creative writing, you have a blog, you might publish on Odyssey or some other content site, and perhaps you've written a book and self-published it. You've got fans that consist of family and friends, maybe a few strangers too. Good for you!

You also deserve some advice that others might not have told you. Anyone can be a writer, but not everyone can be a good writer. Do you want to know what it is that separates a writer from a good, possibly even great, writer? It isn't because they lack creative ideas, dedication, or passion. It's ego. And you need to check yours at the door.

Humility is key and it's something respected, published authors have in spades. It's something you're going to need to develop if you ever want to truly succeed in this field. If your ego is the size of a hot air balloon, then you aren't humble. If you aren't humble, it's going to be difficult for you to accept criticism. And if you're incapable of handling criticism, then you're never going to grow as a writer. Great writers are always learning and never think that they know it all.

Seeking out and embracing constructive criticism from peers, fellow writers, editors and even fans is essential.

To become a great writer you have to pop your ego bubble and listen to what other, more experienced writers are trying to tell you. You must be able to learn from constructive criticism. It's not about people ripping your work to shreds, it's about people trying to explain what does and doesn't work, why, and how to resolve the issue. If anyone ever simply trashes your work, then feel free to flip them off and walk away. That's damaging, not constructive. Constructive feedback takes the time to identify problem areas; grammar, spelling, plot holes, character inconsistency, and other issues that we as the writer can often overlook.

If you want to be handled with kid gloves, coddled, and told that you're doing a good job when you're not, you picked the wrong career path. We are Word Ninjas. We are proof that the pen is mightier than the sword. We are literary artists, creators, and destroyers of worlds. And just like any other type of artist, we always need to be perfecting and improving our craft. There is always something new that you can learn, whether it's from a fellow writer or a book, on the craft.

Thinking that your writing, your voice, and your grammar are already top notch without needing even a shred of improvement doesn't make you a good writer. It just makes you look like a jackass. It tells the world that you're not a professional writer, because professionals realize that their training and evolution is a lifelong commitment.

So, you're going to have to log lots of hours working on your manuscript, read all sorts of books till you think your eyeballs might explode, take advice from others in your field to help improve your work, and you're going to have to get over your fragile little ego.

Do you still want to be a writer? Can you handle it?