The Best Advice I've Ever Received (with regards to writing, that is)

I was a newbie writer, despite the fact that it took me eight long years to finish my first manuscript.  One I thought would never be finished.  You know the one.  The book you have tucked away in your drawer, or somewhere on your harddrive, the one you only crack open in times of absolute boredom or a flash of creativity.

There I sat, crying like a baby when I wrote THE END on it, wondering what to do now.  I'd never thought about making my story a series, but I always enjoyed books that carried on a completely different story about one of the secondary characters.  I decided to do that.  After choosing my secondary character for the next book, away I went, only to run out of steam a couple of months into it.  What was wrong?  I had finished one book; was that the extent of my writing ability?  Was I destined to be a one-book-wonder?

One thing I knew for sure, I didn't want the sequel to take me another 8 years.  But the thought of writing it had me shuddering with dread.

I spoke with a good friend of mine who never fails to ask me how my writing is going.  Very supportive.  When I told him of my dilemma, he gave me some of the best advice I'd ever received. 

Write outside of the box.

You see, I was in a "comfort zone".  My entire experience at being an "author" was spent in a world of fantasy, with dragons and magic, castles and dashing knights of the king.  After 8 years and then some in this world, I was merely burned out. 

Amazingly, however, I had never thought of this for myself.  It would seem obvious to me now, write something else in order to recharge your creativity.  But back then, it never occurred to me to stretch my legs as an author.

Needless to say I grabbed the bull by the horns and wrote my first historical inspirational western romance, HEART OF GOLD.  I'd never done a strict romance, nor a western, nor a historical OR inspirational, so all of that was new to me.  And you know what?

I wrote that book in TWO WEEKS.

It was like I channeled that book, like I was the conduit for that particular story to be told rather than actually writing it myself.  Why?  Because it was so much FUN!  New characters, new situations, new adventures...  From then on, my eyes were always on the next new project, the next new horizon.

A lot of authors I know do write in different sub-genres of romance.  Fantasy, historical, futuristic, paranormal...  And they use many different pen names for each genre.  And I guess that makes sense in a way, because you want to market yourself and "brand" yourself, so the public at large can know what to expect from you.

But that never sat well with me.  That didn't jive with my "writing outside the box" theory.  While you may still be writing in many genres, you have a different persona.  I didn't want that.  And amazingly, I believe it's helped me more than hindered me.  I've wanted to become an author for as long as I can remember, and so I wanted to do it with my own merit.  Rebecca Goings is my real name, and I'm proud that all of my books have my name, be they mainstream or inspirational, regardless of sub-genre.

So all of you writers out there who are stuck in a rut and don't know what to do next; when that writer's block is more like a barricade, write "outside of your box".  Step outside your comfort zone and try something you've never written before.  Try a story you would never have thought you'd write five minutes ago.

Because let me tell you, that advice, for me, was a turning point in my writing career.  If I hadn't talked with my friend that day, I might still be staring at my blinking cursor drooling on my keyboard while babbling incessantly.  Now, I'm not afraid of any idea I might have because I know I can do it.

Westerns, contemporaries, time travel, paranormal, fantasies, the options are endless.  Do not write yourself into a corner.  Break the mold.  You'll be glad you did.

~~Rebecca Goings

http://www.RebeccaGoings.com