The best writing advice I've gotten

I've been fortunate enough to receive some brilliant advice from a wide variety of sources. I hope to explore some of these A-ha! moments in the upcoming days.

The most important words I have are:

DARE TO BE AVERAGE!

I found this in (where else?) Feeling Good by David Burns

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Most people write (or want to write) are perfectionists. If we don't write perfectly, then we are failures. If we don't sell a million copies, we are failures. 

You might have noticed that this doesn't lead to happy writing.What the heck? What have you got to lose? Perfectionism doesn't work, so why not try something new? You might feel awkward at first, but the liberation will stun you.

To quote:

For any activity, instead of aiming for 100 percent, aim for 80 percent, 60 percent, or 40 percent. then see how much you enjoy the activity and how productive you become. Dare to aim at being average! It takes courage, but you may amaze yourself! (p. 356)

By taking off the pressure to a staggering super genius, you and I can write with our own clear voice. Ideas become fun, instead of sources of anxiety. Mistakes become a game, not the end of the world.

Try it for a day, or even a week. Tell me what happens when you dare to be average! Do you feel less anxious, more productive, or did you have to face the fears that fueled perfectionism? 

Give-away!

A new fan for Spring! The camera read the color as blue, but it is actually a lovely deep purple with platinum colored embossing and black spokes. (I call it Maleficent after Disney's antagonist in Sleeping Beauty).

And the question for your sunshine-addled brains is:

What is the name of my heroine for my new story, Sister of God?

First to comment here wins!

My universe is constantly expanding.

There seems to be a stereotype that writers can only work in one genre for one audience, forever. We are amazed when a mystery writer attempts a foray into action-adventure. We applaud when Nora Roberts takes on the futuristic police procedural as J.D. Robb.

And one never, never crosses over from fiction to non-fiction.

Frankly, I don't do well with rules. I started off with non-fiction writing until I was hijacked by my wonderful Valerie, Lance, and John for Dracula's Secret. Sophia is running amok in my brain in Sister of God. But my passion for history is not letting me go.

There aren't a lot of American women who study Middle Eastern history. As a Western feminist who is familiar with various cultural mores, I have insight into the forces that create the image of Islam that Americans struggle with. I have things to say about how events in the 1600s still effect what everyone experiences now. As a fiction writer, I can say them in an interesting and vibrant way.

Someday, I'm sure I'll need to create a second blog for my history work and how that is going. I don't think many publishers want the author of a popular history posing in a cocktail dress with a wine glass. After all, serious writer r serious, you know. *makes serious face*

Of course, the field just might need an author who wears rhinestones. It certainly would make book talks more interesting....

I can't give up my beautiful boys and girls who search for love and passion while saving the world. I'm going to write them until I die. :)

I'm just going to add more excitement into my life. This is going to be fun!

Where the hell have you been? Part Two

The international news has been so very horrifying lately that I've had to turn inward. I had to find the place inside of me that knows that nothing lasts forever. Out of terror and fear, beauty and hope will always rise again.


I keep a picture of Winged Victory (Nike of Samothrace) by my desk as reminder.

I have found new inspiration.

Why, hello there, Guilherme Marchi, professional bull rider from Argentina!

Where the hell have you been?

I've had the marvelous Miss B as a guest this past week, and well....I certainly wasn't up for blogging. We were too busy roaming the Pacific Northwest in search of delicious pastry, excellent shopping, waterfalls, and bonding time.

And here's a picture of one place we went:

Voodoo Donuts' Cock and Balls Donut

These things are huge. And tasty.