courage to follow your own course of action ...

"Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it requires courage." Ralph Waldo Emerson

I think that really describes pig-headed stubbornness. Or maybe it’s just a little too simplistic. One should frequently adjust their course of action. I’m certainly not perfect, and as I learn more I can apply that knowledge to improve my course of action.

I may still be quite pig-headed, but hopefully I’m doing a better job of learning from what others. It’s quite a delicate process to know when to “stick to your guns,” so to speak, and how to find the truth in what others have to say (especially when it contradicts strongly held beliefs).

I’m certain that as a person gains more knowledge and intelligence through diligence, obedience, and hard work he gains an advantage. Accomplishments are achieved by adherence to principles of truth – whether you understand them or not. The better I can learn to understand the truths that have lead me to success (or failure) the better I can make informed decisions in the future.

And I’m convinced that in order to accomplish this goal I need friends. If I rely only on myself, it’s like looking at the universe through a soda-straw – it’s impossible to see the complete picture. It’s through talking with others and trying to understand their point of view that helps me to better understand how I can improve.

I really like these words on how to find and understand truth http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=2097

Why am I writing? – Thoughts on marketing.

I think that the primary reason I write is because I love the excitement and adventure of discovering / creating a whole new world and sharing that world with others. Each new person that opens up “my” world, and begins to explore there, discovers something new that I didn’t see before. Sometimes what they see is something that neither of us enjoys: a grammatical error, a difficult transition, an awkward phrase, or worse yet a bad plot twist or story line. Sometimes they see something wonderful. Either way, it’s been exciting and fun to see the story come together and improve.

Now that it’s published even more people can read and explore this new world, that’s no longer just mine.

I think the thing that made Harry Potter more than just a book was the fans.  The story was strong enough and integrated tightly enough that readers could enjoy sharing not just what was written on paper but all of their own ideas and discoveries associated with it. So little of any story can be put into print and language so difficult to use that it’s really all of the imagination and creativity that it sparks that is so much more important. – That’s what I want my writing to be like.

I still have so much to learn with respect to language that I worry, sometimes, about how much I get in the way of others loving “my” story as much as they can. That’s why I’m so grateful for all the feedback that I can get, whether it’s on things I’m doing well or things that could be done better. I think that’s also why I’ve decided not to be as worried about marketing. Because once a story is worth sharing, marketing happens naturally.

Decisions on voice: is 3rd person too distant?

In starting Discipulus Secretus, I had to make some structural decisions. One of those decisions was to write in 3rd person. Before starting to write I did some research, and found American publishers in strong opposition. It looked like their primary concern was that it was too easy for the novice to get lazy and say something impersonal and detached, like "she was angry," instead of something more engaging, like "she stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her."

Being a bit of a rebel, and figuring that I am more likely to learn by trying, I decided to take this as dare (American publishers saying, "I dare you to write in 3rd person," and me in return, "I accept your challenge").

It seemed a safe enough challenge since so many of the great literary works are written in 3rd person and because it offers so much more flexibility and power. It also seemed a good fit with this conspiracy novel. I personally like how in the first/prologue chapter we can get a more personal view of Sarah's mother and John, her mentor, by seeing into both of their heads and knowing how they feel about each other.

But I still have so much to learn. Let me know what you think.