I want to push myself this year. You don’t excel when you write in your comfort zone. You wrap your blankie around you, sip your hot cocoa, and feel satisfied. Not one else gives a poop that you’re warm and happy, though. “Oh, good, another warm and happy story,” they think. “Who is going to excite me, though?”
From Cakewrecks.com
I have been thinking again about Neil Gaiman’s “really weird cake” and how I need to keep that concept in mind. Currently I’m writing a science fiction story – not modern weird SF/fantasy, but a story that involves space travel and a moon base. And I’m happy with how it’s going. I think next I’m going to write something under a pseudonym. I’m wondering if it will tweak something in me to encourage me to release things I’m worried that “Mur Lafferty’s” audience would be turned off by. I’m not going to keep this pen name a secret (probably), I’m just doing it to see if it triggers something in my subconscious.
I may fall flat on my face. But who cares? I’ll get up again. I’m good at that.
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5 Responses to Pushing yourself
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Just be careful crawling under that pseudonym – they can get heavy (lol)
Good luck with that, Mur. I’m doing the exact same thing. I’m writing something I’ve never done before because I’ve always wanted to, not because I think it will be easy.
It’s scary, but I just keep telling myself that it is possible. If it’s an epic fail, at least I’ll know that I either can’t write in the genre or I need lots more practice.
Good luck Mur!
Mmmm…mouse-filled cake…
I love that you are pushing yourself. Like that line in As Good as it Gets: “You make me want to be a better writer.”
You make me want to be a better writer, Mur.
I feel so overwhelmed with other work right now (it’s the first week of classes, I’m tenure track and have academic writing to do, etc.). Reading your blog and taking your podcast is like taking a deep breath.
Thank you for this. I often find myself on the edge of a new story that terrifies me. I’ve currently taken on something that is pushing me more than any other project. Glad to know others out there are feeling it, too.