Wednesday, June 3, 2015

IWSG: The Comfort Zone is not Your Friend.

If you want the short version of this entry, here you go.  There are dozens of variants on this image, but I went with this one because it's pretty.

Like most things in life, however, it's not that simple, which is why it gets a blog entry.

I wondered if writing an entry about getting out of your comfort zone would be hypocritical on my part.  Didn't I just finish a book starring two characters I've had in my head since 2002?  Am I not really, really used to writing the two of them by now?  Aren't they my writerly equivalent of a pair of boots so well-worn that I don't even need to undo the laces to pull them on?

The answers to those questions are Yes, Mostly, and No.  Because while I've written Shiloh and Alexi a great deal, I'm not always writing them as the same people.

All the previous S&A stories have dealt with the two of them growing closer over the book's course, with them together at the end.  In the new book, the two of them get their Relationship Upgrade very early on, due to knowing each other years before.  The story itself also deals with merchant house politics and policies, something that's new to me, as well as with Alexi enforcing the word of her peoples' goddess, which brought about a side of her I've never seen before.

I had to step away from who I've known these characters to be, and find out who they were under the new circumstances, to write this book.  And they'll only grow more when I start editing.  It was very strange at times, because I didn't go into the book knowing they would be so different.

But I had to go with it, I had to step out of that comfort zone, if I wanted to tell the story.  And it's a better story for that.

Then there's the book I started writing two days ago, which is already insane and has characters questioning what's going on and features several different impossibilities in the first chapter and will only get weirder as it goes.  The entire thing is an homage to two of my favorite pieces of fiction, but it's an enormous mind screw that will only make sense at the end (if ever!), taking place in an entirely new setting with characters I've never written before who didn't even exist in my head until I plotted this particular book.

As much as I know I shouldn't even be thinking about this right now, odds are good that this is a book that will never, ever sell.  (Even if I already know what I want the cover to look like.)  But I'm writing it because it's something completely different, because I want to, and because I know if I don't, I'll regret it.

And I would much rather spend months writing and editing a book that goes nowhere than sit back and wonder if it could have been something magical.

So that's my advice this month, fellow IWSGers.  Kick your way out of your comfort zone, as it does you no good.  Pull up that project that seemed too crazy.  You know the one - I'm guessing you came up with it either late at night or when you were supposed to be doing your day job.  Figure out how to make it work, and get to it.

You won't find magic doing the same old thing.

24 comments:

  1. Great post. You always have such a neat way of looking at things and of explaining yourself. :)

    IWSG #126 until Alex culls the list again.

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    1. Thank you. ^_^ I always wonder if what I say here is going to help anyone, but so far, so good.

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  2. Besides, it's really good practice.
    We sometimes forget that characters grow and evolve just like we do.
    How are you doing in your new city, Mason?

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    1. They really do. Even in this new work, I'm finding that my characters know how to handle things better than I do, just as they did in my last book.

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  3. Great advice and so many times that is when the magic happens!

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  4. I love that pic. It's so damn true. Sigh.

    When do I get to read it???? Comfort zone or not, I'm excited :)

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    1. I am so happy that people are asking about reading this. ^_^ Seriously, that's one of the greatest things to hear. And I'll let you know in your blog, in case you don't read this.

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  5. Very inspiring! And strangely coincidental as I was going to write about the comfort zone. Then I rambled on and decided to keep it lighter. But I agree!

    Oh and for realzies - I want to read this thing too. Step out of your comfort zone and give me a shout if you need a beta read.

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    1. Nothing wrong with rambling. It feels like that makes up half my entries. :P

      And thank you! I'm always happy to have another reader. I'll let you know on your blog about this.

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  6. Yeah, I left my comfort zone when I decided to try an urban fantasy after years of writing historical fiction. And was greatly rewarded by the outcome!

    The problem is, that new area has become my comfort zone. I'd rather write more books in this series (if they'll let me) than break out of the NEW comfort zone and go looking for the next way to stretch myself.

    Your post reminds me that I have done it before and may need to do it again to make any progress as a writer!

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    1. Hmm. I think that working with the new stuff is fine for now, since you broke out of your old comfort zone and love it. So long as you don't find yourself unable to break out again.

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  7. RAWR! May the passionate always follow their passions!

    I don't think crazy ideas have ever bothered me. Maybe I'm like my own personal mad scientist who enjoys throwing things into beakers with the hopes I'll get a BOOM!

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    1. Awesome. Is it weird that it's great to hear from someone who doesn't need this advice? ^_^

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  8. Great post! Even if you don't believe it will ever sell, it's great to write something out of your comfort zone because it will make you grow as a writer. Thanks for the reminder :)

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    1. The more I do this blog thing, the more I find that there are all kinds of things we writers need to be reminded of from time to time. Lots of my IWSG posts are just me reminding myself, but I'm glad they help others too. ^_^

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  9. This is good advice, also, that's a ripping graphic. Aaaannnnndddd, we bought a house. more on that later, but that's why I haven't been all smarty posty-pants lately.(You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy than the underwriters, but that's a story for another day!).
    Good to see you're writing and stretching that all-too-confining "comfort Zone" (see the scare quotes, that's because they're scary!!).

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    1. I saw the pic that H tweeted about your house - I know nothing but "redwood ceiling" but hey, sweet, I love wood interiors. ^_^ And yeah, comfort zone stretching feels scarier than it actually is. Now that I'm a ways into the book, I can't believe I was ever worried.

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  10. I think you wrote this just for me, because I'm freaking out over my WIP (which is almost done, by the way) because it's completely out of my comfort zone. But I'll forge ahead anyway, finish it, and see what happens. Thanks for this!

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    1. You're welcome, glad it helped. ^_^ And now that I'm a little farther into the book, I can say it's totally worth it. Hope yours turns out well.

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  11. You're right -- I'd much rather write than regret not writing. And seriously, there isn't anything much better on TV anyway.

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    1. I wouldn't know, I only watch one TV show. ^_^ But yeah, I'd much rather do something and say "that didn't work" than always wonder if it would have worked.

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  12. Great advice, Mason! It makes me want to work on my superhero WIP. :)

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    1. Thanks! And yes, definitely work on that. I used to think superheroes wouldn't work in plain text, then I read Brandon Sanderson's "Steelheart" and learned I was wrong. So go forth and get super. ^_^

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