Honesty Still The Best Policy...

I've been asked a few times what my best trait is. Well, my best trait is also my worst flaw, in my opinion. Most of you know this already, from following me for so long. So what is it?

Honesty.

I am always brutally honest. I don't sugar-coat a blessed thing just because it is something someone wants to hear. Now, before you say, "Wow, that sounds mean..." let me just say:

No. It isn't.

I have been dubbed a lightning rod with a bullwhip by my husband. I have been told I have the tact of a brick wall. I have lost countless "friends" due to my honesty. So why don't I change? Quite simply... Why?

People are always afraid of the truth. No one wants to hear it. No one wants to have a mirror shoved in their face to confront what they want to hide. Same goes for me, but I certainly would rather hear the truth than some shallow compliment only to have that same person turn around and speak ill of me behind my back. I'm sure they do anyway. But that isn't my problem.

Now don't get me wrong, I do try to soften the blow of my Sledge Hammer of Honesty. I always, always try to find positives if what I have to say is coming across as negative. My truths come with helpful suggestions.

If some woman were to ask me if her dress made her look fat, I would not simply blurt out "Yes!" if it did. I would study her and let her know that she might want to try a different style because that one is simply unflattering. So see, I do use tact when absolutely needed. But there have been lots of times when I haven't. I'm awesome at spouting off my opinions.

So how does this pertain to writing? Well, you will always get an honest response from me. I will tell you, "Gosh! That was super awesome! But look, I did find some areas I think might need some work." There are so many of you out there, in this blogging community, that are super writers. There are so many of you, sadly, that I have not even read a single word of what you have written. But there are those I have had the honor of looking over your MS and thought, why won't this get published? This is an awesome story, it flows well and heck, I would buy this book! I can't begin to tell you how many books I've picked up over the years, read the back cover and thought it was interesting only to drop it after the first couple of pages. Yawn!

Then there are the ones that I can't stop reading, no matter how awful. They're like a bad traffic accident I can't help but look...or read as the case may be. That is when I am completely baffled going... HOW. Did they get published??? Who did they bribe/sleep with/know in the industry? And plagiarism! I have read a couple of books that completely steal other author's hard work and it still got published! Grr....

So how honest are you when reading someones work? What would you rather hear? The truth or what you want to hear?