As Dreamers Do...

"When you wish upon a star,

makes no difference who you are,
anything your heart desires will come to you.

If your heart is in your dreams,

no request is too extreme,

when you wish upon a star as dreamers do." -- Music by Leigh Harline / Lyrics by Ned Washington

Faith is the light that brightens our darkest moments. We need faith to stay true to our vision no matter what.

I spent my wild high-school years in Orange County, Southern California. I adored Hollywood but my true home was Disneyland, the enchanted land where magical dreams come true. Walt Disney was an innovator, a pioneer and an unabashed dreamer who fueled his vision with a sense of optimism that would not be dimmed no matter how many clouds darkened the skies. We have only to consider his fantastic legacy to realize just how far we can go if we hold fast to our dreams and let faith in our destiny guide our way.

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." ~~Walt Disney

Ah, courage. Yikes. It's one thing to bask in the lovely fantasy of being a best-selling author, signing books (not to mention contracts!), and quite another to scrape up the courage to tackle each phase.

The Dreaded Synopsis.

The Horror of Endless Editing.

The Revision That Would not Die.

The Curse of the Unwoven Subplot.

Each and every aspect of our budding career requires us to believe. To have faith. And to have the courage to tackle the inevitable fear that arises when those clouds roll in. We may chide ourselves for our procrastination—our innate talent for avoidance. Yet the issue often runs deeper than we realize. We need to remember that it really is scary out there. As budding authors, we're confronting the Great Unknown.

Imagine your fingers are the shaking legs of your inner self, and you're pushing, saying, "Go ahead, step off that cliff. It'll be fine. Trust me."

Of course it will be fine but our quaking fears don't know that. Yet. That's why we need to keep moving forward. We need to push ourselves a little bit further each time.

Remember the first time you rode a bike? Remember the wobble and pitch, the fear of crashing? Ah, but the terror of balancing on those thin wheels fades with repetition. The quaking panic of being a writer also dwindles the more we write. Before you know it, you’re steering through plot twists, climbing mountains and changing gears with ease!

"If you can dream it, you can do it." --Walt Disney

Anything we want to achieve, we can. That's the secret all successful people share. Action is the vehicle to make our dreams come true. However, it does no good to visualize without taking action. You can sit on your lawn all you want, visualizing cut grass. Those blades will continue to grow until you get out the mower.

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." --Walt Disney

Hah! Aye, there's the rub, eh? There's a huge difference between wanting and doing. Discipline is required. As is Focus and Determination. Those books won't write themselves. Dang it. *heh-heh*

"When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable." --Walt Disney

No half-measures. No "I sort of think that maybe I might just be able to write if the heavens open up and give me a sign and the weather cooperates and every circumstance happens just right. Maybe."

Say it. "I'm A Published Writer."

Believe it. “I Am A Published Writer.”

Then… make it happen. How? Writer's write. They persist. They push. They don't let up. Ever.

Keep writing, keep querying, keep perfecting your art. Seek out and utilize critique partners. Pay attention to the craft of every book written by the authors you love. Hold fast to your dream, keep the bright vision of your success like a beacon in the night and You Will Make It Happen.

“Somehow I can’t believe there are many heights that can’t be scaled by a man who knows the secret of making dreams come true. This special secret can be summarized in four C’s. They are: curiosity, confidence, courage, and constancy, and the greatest of these is confidence.” –Walt Disney

The four C's. This formula works quite well for writers, wouldn’t you say?

Curiosity. What might happen if a shy, awkward girl with psychic powers was cruelly tormented by high school bullies? Stephen King wondered just that and his curiosity propelled him to pen the bestselling novel, Carrie. A maddening sense of curiosity is vital for an author. Let your curious nature propel you to discover answers, truths and more questions that any reader has ever imagined.

Courage. Six hundred is the number of rejections Jack London piled up before his books found acceptance. Madeleine L’Engle was turned down twenty-nine times and Rudyard Kipling was told he didn’t know how to use the English language. Clan of the Cave Bear, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, Valley of the Dolls, The Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged, The Time Machine, War of the Worlds, any of these books sound familiar? They were all rejected and if not for the persistence of their authors, we would never have heard of them at all.

Constancy. Be relentless in your quest. Successful writers continue to write, continue to query, continue to strive to reach their goals. There’s no room for second-guessing. Clear out any doubts that clutter your mind. When needed, seek out other writers to offer encouragement and support. Doubts can strike fear in every writer so trust me, you’re not alone. Be determined to stay true to your course no matter how the winds might blow.

The most useful of all traits to add to your writer’s toolbox is Confidence. You must believe because you are, and you will be, exactly what you believe you can be. The old saying was, "I'll believe it when I see it." Let’s rewrite that to be more realistic. “I am a success and I'll see it when I believe it."

“Get a good idea and stay with it. Dog it, and work at it until it's done right.” –Walt Disney

Plug away and keep the focus. We all start with a cool idea. We type feverishly until we've carved out an incredible story. Invest endless hours of editing. Only to be hit with the critiques. Back to work on the new revisions. Uh-oh, now comes the realization that a subplot needs to be expanded or doesn't work or drops off… and what the heck happened to Scruffy the dog in Chapter Three anyway???

We begin with the barest wisp of notion. Out of that tiny, almost imperceptible seed a full-grown story blossoms. Amazing. Freaking Amazing. Truly it seems impossible, when we think about it. What started out as letters became words. What began as words became a sentence. Out of the heart of our imagination sprang a tale.

“It's kind of fun to do the impossible.” –Walt Disney.

Yeah, Walt. I'm with you on that one.

Have a great week, everyone! Dare the Impossible. Dare to Dream. Even more importantly, Dare to WRITE!

See you next week!

--Chiron O’Keefe

Also featured at Pop Culture Divas and Between the Lines.

Write For Yourself and Celebrate Writing!

“Why do writers write? Because it isn't there.” ~~Thomas Berger

Thanksgiving, for those of us in America, has grown and evolved like most holidays. It all began when the Pilgrim’s celebrated a bountiful harvest with the Indians whose assistance made their survival possible. These days, families gather together to bond over generous servings of turkey (or Tofurki), endless hours of football and parades, and tasty bites of pumpkin pie. Yet tucked within the basting and the touchdowns is the root of an idea.

Thankfulness.

Being thankful for our family and friends, for prosperity and health, and for life itself. Now, let me add one more item to the list, Thankfulness for our innate creativity. Is there anything quite like the joy of being a writer? Penning marvelous adventures and exploring the journey of our characters, all within the cozy pages of a delicious novel. Yum-yum. Being a writer means having the power to create worlds. Wow. Could there be a bigger thrill?

“One nice thing about putting the thing away for a couple of months before looking at it is that you start to appreciate your own wit. Of course, this can be carried too far. But it's kind of cool when you crack up a piece of writing, and then realize you wrote it. I recommend this feeling.” ~~Steven Brust

Every so often, I love to rifle through my files and yank out tales written long ago. Even the fumbling attempts from several years back (when POV was still a baffling concept) astound me. I’m at a loss to name a greater pleasure than the sizzle of exhilaration when we come across a well-written sentence and think, Damn, I wrote that! Just like the fragrant homemade pumpkin pie beckoning to our taste buds from yonder table, the story our eager eyes pore over started with a few simple ingredients.

Yup, you stirred it up, baked it in a feverish oven of imagination, and after a suitable frame of time, produced a marvelous dish. Except for one little difference. It’s all yours, baby! There are no other ‘pies’ quite like the ones you bake.

We Are Originals.

How about that?

“The novel is an event in consciousness. Our aim isn't to copy actuality, but to modify and recreate our sense of it. The novelist is inviting the reader to watch a performance in his own brain.”~~George Buchanan

It’s astonishing, really. The courage and strength it takes not only to compose an entire novel (wow!) but to allow others to read it, well… that’s truly amazing. I’m thankful for the sheer audacity within my soul.

Think about it for a moment. Do you realize what a pioneer you are? How gutsy and innovative it is to even attempt to share your thoughts, your dreams, your private imaginings on the printed page?

What an incredible career we have. We Are Writers.

“Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.”~~ Cyril Connolly

Yet one of the dilemmas we face (and with rare fortitude) is The Big Choice. I salute us all for taking the risk to write what we please. To recognize that success is measured by happiness and self-satisfaction. Persistence does pay off (ask any published writer) but they’ll no doubt agree that unless you write a book which pleases you, no worldly success will satisfy. So when you read what you’ve written at the end of the day, if you feel a genuine rush of pleasure, my friend, You Are A Success.

“Forget all the rules. Forget about being published. Write for yourself and celebrate writing.” ~~Melinda Haynes

Celebrate and relish the joy that comes from this unique gift. To write is like nothing else. Nothing can compare. Harry Potter appeals to the masses because the stories tap into humankind’s deepest and fondest fantasy. The fantasy of being able to create magic. Well, dear friends, that’s exactly what we do every time we write a story or share insights or explore our hearts within the pages of a journal. We are magically creating something out of nothing but the barest wisp of imagination.

We Are Magic-Makers.

We Are Writers.

“I learned that you should feel when writing, not like Lord Byron on a mountain top, but like a child stringing beads in kindergarten - happy, absorbed and quietly putting one bead on after another.” ~~Brenda Ueland

Celebrate the elation, the delight, the tingle of pure pleasure as you write. This is a wonderful time to embrace this incredible opportunity of ours: to create magic on a regular basis. A perfect time to be thankful for the gift, for the spirit, and for the opportunity to express ourselves.

The world revolves around communication. Whether we explore communication by composing a heart-warming novel or an uplifting email, everyone shares this gift. Let’s take the time to acknowledge how special and vital communication is in our everyday lives.

Thanks to everyone for the comments, the emails, the stories, the letters, the cards, and the wonderful conversations you share. Thanks to my soul for creating within me the eternal desire to write.

I also want you all to know, how thankful I am to all my readers. You’re all ‘family’ and I appreciate each and every one of you. When I lift a glass in celebration I’ll imagine my online friends *clink*, as we all share a toast.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!


If you have a moment to spare, please share a when communication made a special impact on your life. Was it an unexpected card mailed from a friend? A piece of heartfelt advice from someone you cherish? A story or poem that inspired? A casual conversation that triggered an epiphany?

Until next week!

--Chiron O’Keefe

Also featured at Pop Culture Divas and Between the Lines.

Embracing the "No Way" Factor

"Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away… Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday…" (Lennon/McCartney)

With all due respect to Paul McCartney, I prefer to believe in Today. Even better, I want to believe in Tomorrow. Every word I type in the present is transported into a magical future, which is still yet a dream. The essay I'm composing will be read tomorrow or Monday or maybe next Friday. A new WIP will take months to finish and weeks more to edit. We can forget in the tedium of the effort involved how miraculous tomorrow can and will be, especially if we lose sight of the magic in our words. There's something to be said for introducing Optimism to Risk-Taking and discovering how amazing this collaboration can be.

"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore." –André Gide

Every writer goes through it. A manic-depressive swing depending on where the story is at. When we're in the zone, the words fly, the ideas are so thick they infiltrate our dreams and we can't type fast enough. When we're stuck with a plot point or drowning with too many choices, we can unfortunately be quite unbearable. My favorite image (which I'm embarrassed to say is only slightly exaggerated) is of me dashing through the house, hands waving in the air, while I shriek, "I'm a hack!"

Ups and downs. Highs and lows. Welcome to the wonderful world of writing.

"You can do anything you think you can. This knowledge is literally the gift of the gods, for through it you can solve every human problem. It should make of you an incurable optimist. It is the open door." --Robert Collier

No matter how many times we go over it, the truth always bears repeating. Our thoughts shape our world. At the very least, they shape our perception of our world and perception really is everything.

"A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes." –Mahatma Gandhi

Studies are ongoing in regards to mapping the brain and proving repeatedly that Positive Beliefs Work. Science has taken it a step further, revealing that thinking about accomplishing a task lights up the same region of the brain as the actual activity. Even more exciting, visualizing that finish line (in whatever race we're facing) seems to carve a pathway in our brain that leads to success. Scientific proof for what has been a tenet of every successful person's philosophy for eons: Positive Thinking Leads to Success.

"Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness." –Oprah Winfrey

It's good to be the queen!

Truth is, there are no safe routes or any way to assure a life free of troubles and pain. Life is messy and filled with complications. Since we're going to get out hands dirty anyways, why not go for it?

"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one." ~Elbert Hubbard, The Note Book, 1927

There's an endless variety of methods people utilize to move past writer's block or procrastination or (let's call it what it is, folks) Fear. Yet each and every method ends up at the same place. Sooner or later, you have to plop yourself down, whether in front of a computer or with pen in hand, and write. Why? Obviously, if you don't write it's all over but there's more. This is the horse you've fallen from. The longer you wait, the greater and more fearsome this beast will appear to be. Don't hesitate. Grab the reins and let the words take you for a ride. Don't concern yourself yet with deciding whether the prose is brilliant or prosaic. That's what editing is for.

And keep this in mind: The only writers who don't make mistakes are those who don't write. That's my quote and I'm standing by it.

"If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative." --Woody Allen

Why play it safe? Safety is for wusses.

I read this brilliant post on the BookEnds blog by Angie Fox, author of "The Accidental Demon Slayer." Her words are so good I'm going to re-post them here along with a link to the complete article.

The post is called Angie Fox: Three Things I Had to Do in Order to Sell. She speaks of the steps involved with taking her writing to the next level. To get from 'almost there' to SOLD. Here's the first segment (may it whet your appetite for more):

The “No Way” Factor:

"My characters had to take bigger chances, have more to risk and lose. It’s easy to say, but a hard thing for a writer to do. It’s a vulnerable, risky place to be. I knew my story was big enough to sell when instead of ending my writing sessions thinking, “I hope that’s good enough to impress an editor,” I ended them thinking, “No. I did not just write that. I did not just make my character defend herself with a toilet brush and a can of Purple Prairie Clover air freshener.”

Taking risks can lead you into unexpected places, and even better… it transforms your perspective of writing from an effort to an adventure. Plus, from a purely practical point of view, when our writing excites us, our enthusiasm will spark a flame within the hearts of our readers too.

"I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark burn out in a brilliant blaze than it be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet." --Jack London (Note: London received upward of 600 rejections before publication)

So, this week's motivation is two-fold: Keep Believing and Take Risks. Those two qualities go together like books and readers.

And remember…

"If you wish to be a writer, write." --- Epictetus

Thanksgiving is just around the corner with Christmas and New Year's a mere breath away. Let's keep the energy up and make this next week count!
Remember all books are written One Page At A Time.

--Chiron O'Keefe

Also featured at Pop Culture Divas and Between the Lines.

Seeing Past the Obstacle Illusions

"Life is full of obstacle illusions." --Grant Frazier

This week I took my own advice. I set goals, planned which days to accomplish each goal and then didn't give myself a choice, I Just Did It. After all, if writing was my job, choice wouldn't factor in at all, would it?

It was an intriguing experiment which netted great results. In one week's time, I finished the revision outline, typed up notes for a NF book idea, put together a blog post for Pop Culture Divas (fun!) and today I'm posting this week's motivational essay.

Am I tired? You bet! However, I'm also encouraged. Many times my weary eyes would read of yet another successful author whose busy schedule puts my own to shame. What's the most telling characteristic of a successful author? Persistence. Pushing past the obstacles no matter how tempting it can be to take a breather in the shadows.

Looking for appropriate quotes, I came across one that truly humbled me, inspired me, and fueled my desire to persist.

"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein." ~Life's Little Instruction Book, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr

Whenever I'm tempted to back out of my self-imposed commitments, based on what I feel are overwhelming odds, I'm reminded of Helen Keller, one of my earliest heroes. This woman surmounted obstacles light-years beyond my own petty grumblings. She believed too that everyone can achieve their dreams. Obstacles may be inevitable but giving up is an option I refuse to take.

"Never Give Up, Never Surrender!" Commander Peter Taggart from Galaxy Quest.

In the movie Galaxy Quest, Jason and crew find themselves battling Space-Uglies in a surreal imitation of their long-cancelled television show. Going from being a pretend hero to an actual battle is quite an adjustment. As long as it's all make-believe, we can back out of the room and pretend none of it matters.

Writers face a similar dilemma. Here I sit locked away in my office. There's no boss breathing down my neck and no paycheck waiting at the end of my week. The same person responsible for accomplishing my goals is the exact same person most likely to renege. *rueful grin* In the beginning, writing is a lovely dream, a fantasy where the space-aliens disintegrate neatly on command and every plot obstacle is tied up within the 47 minutes allotted to the script.

Once we plant ourselves in front of the monitor, we're shoved into the Real World and like Jason Nesmith, discover how exhilarating the action can be AND how tempting it is to walk away.

Don't walk away.

There's success at the end of the road as long as you keep your feet (and fingers) moving steadily forward.

"Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong." –Ella Fitzgerald

Those insecurities and doubts hit every writer. Every single writer. There's no magic transformation that distinguishes those who are successful. If you've written a hundred books, there's going to still be a tiny insecurity that whispers, "Are you sure you have one more in you?" Be kind to yourself in those private moments when you confess your doubts. Trust me, we all go through this.

"I have a love-hate relationship with the writing life. I wouldn't wish to have any other kind of life…and on the other hand, I wish it were easier. And it never is. The reward comes sentence by sentence. The reward comes in the unexpected inspiration. The reward comes from creating a character who lives and breathes and is perfectly real. But such effort it takes to attain the reward! I would never have believed it would take such effort." –Elizabeth George, Write Away, Journal of a Novel, December 15, 1997

Here's the thing. If you're a firefighter or a fictional commander on Galaxy Quest, you don't have a choice. Crisis forces you to act. Rarely is there time to second-guess your decision.

Writers need more stamina, more persistence, and definitely more motivation to keep their energy up and their determination firmly in place. You Are A Hero whenever you push past an obstacle, whether it be inner (trepidation or fear) or outer (squeezing in fifteen minutes between job and/or family time). Being a writer is fun but it's also damn hard work. Honor yourself every day that you fulfill your self-imposed commitment.

I Am A Writer! Woo-hoo!

"There are no shortcuts to any place worth going." ~Beverly Sills

"The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do." ~Sarah Ban Breathnach, Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, 1996

Now, here's where my nagging inner voice says, "Okay, fine. We need to persist. We need to stick to our goals, but how do I push myself past the funk that sometimes grips me hard?"

Good point, dastardly inner voice!

There's good reason books on positive thinking and sales seminars advocate affirmations as a means of self-motivation. Here's an intriguing tidbit. Did you know studies have linked memory to emotion? The more intense the emotion, the more likely you are to remember the moment. Why? The brain is responsible for, and capable of, noting every single second of the day, yet our conscious recollection is selective. A good way to understand this is to think of your phone. You can store a select amount of numbers, however there are a few you can put on speed dial. Those 'intense' thoughts are on speed dial.

How does this serve us as writers, or even in our daily life?

Any thought you infuse with intense emotion is on your own inner speed dial. Think of those select numbers as the probable reality you want to connect with.

Positive thinking is not simply looking on the bright side (though optimism is always good!). Nor is it simply chanting affirmations automatically.
This is a process of self-hypnosis which plants in your brain a belief that shapes your reality. It may sound silly, to stand in front of the mirror and shout, "I Am A Success!" but it works. When you whip up enough enthusiasm, you actually believe it's true. When you believe it's true, you think like a success, you act like a success and you tune into opportunities based on your belief.

"Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire." ~Arnold H. Glasow

Helen Keller could never have accomplished so much without fervently believing she could. The astonishing accomplishments we stand in awe of all depended on a person believing in success, and persisting beyond all obstacles, even self-doubt. Without persistence, Disneyland would not exist. The Sistine Chapel ceiling would be blank. And this essay would not be written. *smile*

This week, let's have a dual goal. First and foremost, let's 'set ourselves on fire' by staring in the mirror at least once a day and saying those magic words. "I Am A Success. I Persist Because I Am A Success and That's What Successful People Do."

Repeat until you feel the tingle. You'll know it when it happens. *wink*

Our simultaneous goal? Persist! Push for one more sentence, one more page, one more scene. Treat writing like a job that you love. If doubt intrudes or the urge to procrastinate hits, head back to the mirror.

Remember, You Are A Success. Your Actions Make You A Success.

Here's to a persistent, productive and successful week!

Smiles,
Chiron O'Keefe

Also featured at Pop Culture Divas and Between the Lines.

The Soul of Music times Two

Being a musician and avid music lover, YouTube is my idea of heaven. All those concerts available day and night! Night and Day! ON MY COMPUTER!! *faints*




Today at Pop Culture Divas, I'm sharing some cool and unusual musical pairings in my post, The Soul of Music Times Two.

Drop by if you feel like dancing!

--Chiron O'Keefe

Discover Your Self Through Your Writing

One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree.
“Which road do I take?” she asked.
“Where do you want to go?” was his response.
“I don't know,” Alice answered.
“Then,” said the cat, “it doesn't matter.” – Lewis Carroll

Writing is a curious occupation. Although I suppose there are those who can pen novels, poems, songs, or scripts without any ‘soul’ investment, most of us instead take a deep breath and jump down that wondrous rabbit hole. In order to have the courage, the stamina, and the sheer will-power to keep ourselves on track we need to have a reason to write.

"The greatest explorer on this earth never takes voyages as long as those of the man who descends to the depth of his heart." ~Julien Green

Here is my suggestion:

Write to Discover Your Self.
Write to Awaken Your Heart.
Write to Engage Your Soul.

Truth is the sheer effort of completing a book can be exhausting. The process of submitting can be discouraging. The endless promotions and networking can leave you numb. This is why, no matter what anyone tells you, you must Write What You Love.

"No one remains quite what he was when he recognizes himself." ~Thomas Mann

Every writer experiences it. Whether the composition is your own version of the great novel or simply a chatty email with a close friend, there comes a moment of clarity which illuminates your soul. You discover in that flash of insight a part of your Self. A shiver of excitement and an astonished, “Well, that’s true, isn’t it?” follows.

Writing is more than a path to publication. Writing is a journey to your soul. When you invest those precious minutes and push beyond the linear constraints of your rational mind to dangle precariously within the caverns of imagination something amazing occurs. There’s really no describing it as each author has her own amazing revelation. Yet we all know how it *feels*.

"It is only when we silent the blaring sounds of our daily existence that we can finally hear the whispers of truth that life reveals to us, as it stands knocking on the doorsteps of our hearts." ~K.T. Jong

However, if we allow the fickle and ever-changing market to guide our path or follow the advice of a thousand other writers (including myself!) on What To Write, we may be robbing ourselves of the greatest gift of all: Self-Discovery. And ironically, it’s often those who shun the rules who then create a new market. How often are we told that agents and publishers are looking for something different? So much so that many of us type madly amidst the chunks of hair we’ve yanked out of our heads with frustration.

“Throwing away ideas too soon is like opening a package of flower seeds and then throwing them away because they're not pretty."— Arthur VanGundy, Ph.D. (Idea Power, 1992)

Self-discovery sounds very profound, doesn’t it? Yet it’s also a lovely, carefree and often silly dance. Consider for just a moment how children play. They explore all avenues with gusto and if someone advises them of the Right Way, they’ll buy into it for a time, yet then will gleefully rebel and discover their own Right Way. That’s what we need to do as writers. For some authors, this may mean investing ten years to write the next Gone With the Wind. For others, short and snappy might be just the ticket.

“Hi. I'm Troy McClure. You may remember me from such self help tapes as 'Smoke yourself thin' and 'Get some confidence, Stupid!'” --The Simpsons

The key is to Discover Your Path. Ready? Here are some steps to follow:
First… WRITE. (You knew that was coming, right?)

Second… Be Brave. Color outside those lines. Play in your own forbidden zone. Take every risk you can because you can always change it later. So why not leap out of the airplane?

Three… Keep Writing.

"When you aim for perfection, you discover it's a moving target." ~~Geoffrey F. Fisher

The more sentences you carve out of your imagination, the more the pages will reflect your soul. Let yourself be excited not only by the potential of being published or hitting that best-seller list. Thirst for the revelations that will emerge as you jump down that rabbit-hole.

“I can't go back to yesterday - because I was a different person then.” ~~Lewis Carroll

Ready to take some risks? We Are Writers! Go-go-GO!!

--Chiron O'Keefe

Also featured at Pop Culture Divas and Between the Lines.