Friday, June 18, 2010

St Vincent - Paris is Burning

I love summer. One of the reasons: So You Think You Can Dance! I find so many great songs to inspire me. This song from last week has become the theme song for my WIP. How about you? Where do you find new music to inspire you?

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Being Coachable

You might have guessed since I'm pulling out the sports metaphors, that volleyball season is about to start. I've been talking to a university coach who's coming up to do our summer camp and it got me thinking about something we tell the girls every season.

Be Coachable.

Usually when I say this, the girls look at me with this glazed-over, confused expression. Most of them don't have a clue what I'm talking about and so I have to give the lecture every year. Being coachable means being open to suggestions, listening to your coaches and implementing the things they're teaching you. Don't argue. Don't insist your way is better, because it's not. If your serve isn't making it over the net, your way is NOT WORKING. We're the coaches, we have our jobs for a reason. Please listen to us and be open to trying our methods.

The same thing applies with writing. Someone mentioned to me that she couldn't believe how much my writing had improved since she'd seen the first draft of my manuscript. And the reason for that is coachability. I absorb feedback like a sponge. I only have to be told once that I'm doing something wrong. I am open to criticism and I strive to grow and learn every day. I weigh the pros and cons of every suggestion and never discount anyone's feedback until I've thoroughly thought it through. I am a coachable writer.

Flexibility is key. Be like a tree in the wind. You don't want to break, you want to sway. Be open to every crit, every suggestion, every ounce of beta feedback. Listen to what people are telling you. Don't be stubborn. Learn from writers who've been where you've been. Be coachable and soon you'll be a top-notch player.