The wisest things you've been told

[Ginyard]

Chin up, kid!  - My uncle. Or maybe my PE teacher. Again, could've been Gary Glitter.

[HappyTree]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U1-OmAICpU

[Sony Walkman Prophecies]

Just remembered a really good one from the writer of Father Ted: "Even if you think you've written the best thing ever committed to print in the history of mankind, take whatever youve written, put it in a drawer for 3 weeks, then show it to the world - assuming youre still happy with it". (paraphrase)

I think that's about the best advice any writer could have really. Ive lost count of the number of times ive embarrassed myself by sending people half-conceived nonsense purely because I got caught up in the moment and developed an objective blind-spot for the value of my own work. Just a shame it's a lesson ive personally had to learn the hard way.