As an editor, I can almost always tell when a piece hasn't been critiqued and revised properly. By properly, I mean the people commenting on it weren't the author's best friends or family, and the author actually worked on the issues pointed out to him or her. Pieces that haven't gone a few rounds with tough, impartial critiques have issues, usually big issues like plot problems, flat characters, no setting, and so on. Most writers know that the author who can write a clean, publishable first draft is rare. But equally rare is the author who can step back from his or her work and see it for what it really is.

Writers are too close to their own work to see all the problems on their own. They need an impartial second and third pair of eyes that will honestly evaluate the work without holding back. A professor pointed out that once a piece is in print, authors can't sit on the shoulders of readers and answer their questions, so all those issues have to be worked out before it gets into the hands of readers. It can be hard seeing your "baby" put through the ringer, and it can be tempting to send it out only to people who love your work. But "head patting" won't improve the story or your writing overall. It's the tough stuff, the comments that point out what isn't working, that help make both the particular piece being critiqued and our writing in general stronger.

Authors have to be willing to take input from others. We don't have to agree with everything that's said, don't have to use every piece of advice given, but we do have to let those who are helping us improve our writing feel they can do so without reprisals. It helps to remember two things: the comments given are the opinion of that particular person, and two, critiques are not personal but are usually given with the intention of helping make the work better. There are times when a reader won't get it and will give advice that doesn't fit, but it's unlikely s/he deliberately missed the point. Weird advice can point out a lack of clarity. And there are times when different people will have different ideas of what's working and what isn't working and contradict one another. It's up to me, as the author, to determine what fits my vision of the piece, but I can't see if I'm anywhere near the mark without input from others.

What it comes down to for me is what kind of work do I want my name associated with. There are those who just want to throw their work out there, who don't particularly care if it's good or not. They just want their work accepted and put in the public eye, and that's all that matters. But I'm one of those writers who wants my work to be associated with quality writing. As much as I want to be published, I don't want my name associated with sloppy or poorly written work. For that to happen, I have to be willing to take tough comments, both before and after publication, and use them to make my work better. They can hurt sometimes, but I will become a better writer by at least considering what was said and acting on those comments to make my stories stronger.

All writers struggle with something in their writing. Some aren't good with description, some struggle with dialogue or thoughts, and so on. My current challenge is bringing out character emotion without actually saying "Character is happy!" since that would be telling and not showing. We all have something we're not so good at. And when an author overcomes in one area, more than likely, something else will crop up. Most writers are always honing their craft, always working on becoming better.

But some writers look at what they're weak at and just accept it they're "just not very good at that." They let their weaknesses stand. There are any number of reasons authors would do this—it's comfortable, it's not something they look for in their own reading, they're not certain of how to work to improve. The problem is, regardless of the reason, the result is always the same: stagnation.

Instead of stagnating, writers should face their weaknesses head on, see them as a challenge, and learn and grow through them. Don't give in to being "just not very good." Figure out who does it well and read their work, figure out how they do what they do and how you can fit it into your own writing. Read how to books. Practice it in your own writing. Don't worry about mistakes—that's what revision is all about. You may not become a master at whatever it is, but you will become a stronger writer, and your writing will be better for the work done to improve your craft.

It is so easy to become comfortable and complacent, even as writers. We stay in the same genres, keep with the same style, work at the same length. This is normal, especially if it's successful for us. Publication confirms we're doing the right thing, so why mess it up with something new and different? The problem is, doing the same thing all the time gets old and stale. We lose out on some important aspects of writing: exploration, learning, and growth.

Writers are always being pushed to do something fresh and new, and most writers take that to mean "read what's out there and do something different." And that is a large part of it. But we also need to do things that stretch our boundaries, that make our writing fresh and new. We need to challenge ourselves, rediscover ourselves, and let our writing grow with us. We need to get out of our comfort zone.

There are a number of ways a writer can push their boundaries and explore writing in new ways. One way is to look at our weaknesses and push to improve them. Don't use a lot of description? Work on adding a little more. Always write very streamlined? Try a little poetic license. Not sure where you're weak? Set what you're working on aside for a time, then reread it with an eye to find patterns in your writing. We all have them, we just have to be made aware of them. Read how to books that focus on the areas you want to improve on. Try a new length. Always writing novels? Work on some shorts—it's a whole different animal and you will have learned a lot when you master it. More of a novella kind of author? You can try either short stories or working on a novel.

One of the biggest ways to push your boundaries as a writer is to try new genres. You could start with small steps: if you write epic fantasy, dabble in urban. Worried the similarities might make it more difficult to try a new genre, then make a big leap and try crime fiction. I've dabbled in crime, romance, epic, urban, and am trying my hand now at young adult. With each, I've learn a little bit more about writing, about myself, and about those genres. I've become more aware about word choices, plotting choices, and so much more, and, I hope, a better writer.

Walking away from what we're familiar with, what has worked, can be a risk, but risk has rewards beyond what goes down on the page. Stretching yourself, pushing beyond the familiar boundaries, helps you grow as a person and that can only make your writing stronger. What you learn as a result can breathe freshness into your writing. And you might just discover strength where you thought you had none before and a new passion for your writing.