When I teach, I try to assign writers from whom I can learn.
I think one's person's unlikeable is another's lovable.
I'm always relearning things I thought I'd learned for good a while back.
I think the voice can carry a story.
I tend to listen to my friends and family empathetically, and I try to help work through their problems from the inside. I try to adopt their thinking.
When you teach, it's sometimes necessary to consciously not write for a month or two - and then pick a time in the future to sink back in. It makes you less frustrated and more in control. I do best when I give myself breaks and come back hungry.