Can I Do It?

I am ashamed to admit that I'm notorious for accepting writing challenges that I don't follow through on. I know that makes me sound like an unreliable, irresponsible person, and I'm really not--I swear.

This time it's gonna be different!


Award-winning, best-selling YA author Laurie Halse Anderson has issued a writing challenge for the month of August. Participants are to write at least 15 minutes a day, every day. Laurie even helps out by posting optional writing prompts on her blog every day to get folks going.

I think maybe my failure in the past has been because I have a deep-seated obstinate gene that makes me resistant to writing what I'm told to write--even if it's my own book! I hated when my teachers did that and called it "creative writing." Essays were different. I didn't mind writing about a topic for an essay assignment, but, by God, if they were going to call it "creative" then I didn't want them telling me what to write! (Yeah, I was a real rebel, huh? Valedictorian with a vendetta!)

Anyway, that's what I like about Laurie's challenge. I can write whatever I want as long as I write for 15 minutes every day. This blog post takes care of today, but you know what? I think I'm gonna go write a new chapter in PENANCE, the book I'm working on.

Thanks, Laurie! Your non-dictatorial challenge has helped!

~Stay true to yourself and your dreams will come true.

(Note to Aston West: Every 8 months my butt, Flyboy!