DYLAN LANDIS: I would say, slow down. Don't get pulled into this rush to publish, especially with the online world making it easier to get things published. Just slow down.
Care about every sentence. Polish every sentence. Get to know your characters in the deepest possible way. And take the time to do this.
Don't be afraid to go into dark places. There's a screenwriter, the late Gill Dennis, who once said, "Write from the places that make people shake." Don't be afraid to explore those things. It takes time.
Don't be tempted or tormented by the occasional 24-year-old who gets a million-dollar contract. That's over there. Just put that over there in a box and find your particular path and follow that path. And don't be afraid of the basement. It's where you probably need to be writing from. Don't be afraid of doubt.