Okay, so I’ve been trying to be a good little writer and be “in the know” by joining writing websites, researching agents and literary agencies, and following writing blogs. But most agents’ blogs really scare the crap out of me. I’ll read blogs about character, plot, POV, etc. and suddenly have a panic attack. Am I doing what the agent says NOT to do? Is my work the kind of thing an agent takes one look at, groans, then turns to his/her trusty computer to educate the rest of the world NOT to do what I’ve just done? Dear God, I hope not. I don’t THINK that I’m doing all the wrong things I’m reading about, but how can I be subjective of my own work? Does anyone else get really freaked out after reading agent blogs?
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I Picked Up a Pen One Day... 
I haven’t read much about the ‘writing rules’ on agent/writer blogs. I figure I write what I write. The product itself is an issue entirely separate from how in the world I’ll SELL that product. There’s where I get scared. It’s overwhelming! So many reasons not to bother writing at all. Ha!
In the end, how I’ll get sold is one of those things I figure I’ll ‘think about tomorrow.’
Me too! For me, it’s not so much about the rules of writing. I’ve stopped worrying about that and trusting myself more. But their blogs disturb me, all the gloomy stuff about the future of books.
The blogs don’t scare me because of how I approach my writing. Before I wrote a query, I read maybe 5-10 articles on how to write one. I research almost everything, so I have a clue going in what I need to do. As to agents/publishers, I read their site/s to find all their requirements. If I do that going in, I’m much less likely to send them what they don’t want.
My take? Arm yourself with more information than you need, no matter what aspect of writing you’re tackling.
I’m here through a wordpress link to my own most recent post where I am fretting over what I read on an agent blog. You know, you have to do research, study, learn. And then you have to go with your gut. Only time and experience helps us figure out where we’re missing the mark, but those who always paint by numbers and never get out of the lines are frequently those who lack the spark of creativity that takes them to new places and to see new worlds, and isn’t that why we read? (And write?)
Good luck!