The following is a list of thoughts I have spouted to myself at one time or another; whenever I am second-guessing my writing - or any other creative decision for that matter. It's from the voice inside all of us that convinces us to keep doing what we love, in spite of what others may think. Nothing on this list is fact; just opinions from the loud chatter in my noggin. I will add to the list whenever something sprouts anew. I hope you get something out of it, not only as an aid in tapping into your creative side, but in helping your heart's desire in breaking through the negative bark of the logical mind...
1 - Don't daydream about your happily-ever-after, and don't wait for it to come; create it yourself.
2 - Ideas come from the mind, execution of those ideas come from the heart.
3 - Find your creative outlet and plug into it. Otherwise, you may just short-circuit.
4 - Don't ever let anyone convince you that your imagination is wrong.
5 - Never let your mind talk you out of what your heart wants.
6 - Don't waste your daydreams on your mind. Tell the world a story.
7 - If you're writing a story and YOU can't wait to see how it all pans out, then you are doing something right.
8 - If you don't care about the main character in a novel, then you probably won't care about the story either.
9 - Be open to suggestions, but don't let anyone dictate how you should tell your story. Who can possibly tell your story better than you?
10 - Reading is a way to escape the real world. Writing is a way to create a new one.
11 - Believing in others is easy. It's believing in yourself that's the real challenge.
12 - If you reshape yourself to fit a mold, then you are no longer an original work of art.
13 - The only failed book is the one that was never written, out of fear-of-failure.
14 - Never compromise your character's personality just to make a scene more exciting. Stories flow through your characters, so never forget who they are.
15 - When you are writing, you do not need to be as good as Poe, Shakespeare or Rowling. You need to be as good as you!
16 - The person you need to please the most with your story is yourself.
17 - The question isn't "is your novel good enough?" The question is: "Do you believe in it?
18 - Stay focused on your goal and never let your mind cloud you with doubt - or conceit for that matter.
19 - When writing, don't try to lead the story; let the story lead you.
20 - Writing is a unique art-form. You are painting a detailed image in someone's mind, and it will be different for every single reader.
21 - It doesn't matter how a novel was printed. What matters are the words in between the pages.
22 - Writing a story is like getting to share a piece of every daydream you've ever had.
23 - Reality is the place we need to live, but our imaginations harbor the greatest places to visit!
24 - Don't write to impress. Write to inspire. 25 - Write like you are the last person on earth and no one will ever read your story. Tell the story YOU want to read!
