Q: I work at a bank, and my co-worker wants to quit her job to follow her dream of becoming a novelist. She gave me some chapters to read, and they're awful. Is it kinder to be honest with my feedback?

A: "Try tactful honesty: You could say, 'Given your passion, you need other writers to talk to—how about signing up for a creative writing course?'"
— Rushworth M. Kidder, founder of the Institute for Global Ethics

"Tough ethical choice. Dream crusher or irresponsible enabler? Try to find some middle ground. You can avoid explicitly criticizing her work if you commend her on her ambition but offer a reminder that the odds are stacked against any writer and that it's practical to keep a job until she gets a book deal."
— Faith Salie, host of public radio's Fair Game from PRI with Faith Salie