Don't be yourself (at least not all the time)

Wait a minute. What do you mean, don't be yourself? What about tibi ipsi esto fidelis and all that jazz? Aren't you supposed to stay true to yourself and refuse to compromise by eating milk chocolate when you really prefer dark? 

Recently I've been reading "The Plot Thickens" by Noah Lukeman. It's taking me awhile because I'm studying and taking notes, but even though I'm only on page 100, I'm amazed by the value of his book. The first two chapters are about getting to know your characters, inside and out. In those chapters, Lukeman has created enormous lists of questions which help a writer develop an incredibly detailed bio of her characters. The result is that by the time you finally write your story, it practically writes itself because you have come to know your characters so deeply. An added advantage is that characters written from such a detailed background come across as three dimensional and real to the reader rather than flat and stereotypical. 

So I might not be a cagey old grandpa or a spunky twelve-year-old super-spy, but thanks to Noah Lukeman's help in fully developing my characters, I can get into their heads and be them and even have their adventures for awhile. And the better I'm able to live through my characters, the better my readers will be able to do it, too. So the moral of this post is that in real life, yes, you do want to be yourself, but when it comes to writing, you don't have to be. When you write a story, you can and should be someone else sometimes, at least temporarily.

Traveling tips for writers

There are many aspiring writers out there longing to arrive at the destination of publication. In a fevered pitch, they jump in their writing car, throw it into reverse, and back out of the driveway (hopefully missing their children's bikes, scooters, etc.). Then they throw it into gear and gun the engine, feeling like they're definitely late and have already fallen behind the pack which consists of the "already published" crowd.

If you're one of these people, take a deep breath and calm yourself. Publishing is not a race, and as they say, the joy is in the journey. Here are some traveling tips for you:

Buy a map

You know, you aren't the first one to take this trip. Other authors have broken the path already, so take advantage of this through reading their books and blogs or by listening to them at conferences.

Check your oil and get regular service

I'll never forget the first time I threw a rod. End of car. Period. We had developed an oil leak and not realized it. Result? Engine destroyed. Regular service is definitely something you should take care of, not only with your vehicle, but as a writer. When I started out, I had all kinds of problems in my writing that I was unaware of. When I finally joined a writing group and attended regularly, it helped me identify these issues before they caused my story to die on the highway to publication.

Fill up your tank

This isn't going to be a short trip. Fuel up whenever you get the chance, whether it's by reading the genre you write for or just by living life. Life, which is chock full of material, is sometimes underrated. Don't miss out on it.