Fierce on the Page : Become the Writer You Were Meant to Be and Succeed on Your Own Terms

Just because your favorite author wakes at 5 a.m. every morning to write doesn't mean that you can think or write coherently at this hour. Just because a great teacher once told you that you have to outline the plot before you write the story doesn't mean this is the way you arrive at a fantastic narrative arc. Just because the common writing wisdom is to specialize doesn't mean that you should feel ashamed of being a generalist. Most writers are avid students of the craft. And this can actually get in our way. Not because striving for excellence is a problem. But because we are trying to cultivate habits and approaches that are non-native to whom we are. The unfortunate fact is that the great majority of writers committed to improving their craft actually run the risk of shutting down rather than waking up to their greatest strengths and potential-because they're following advice that doesn't effectively move them forward.