The Experiment

Well, it's been a while since I last posted. I blame a combination of deadlines and falling under the weather repeatedly. But I'm back with a new update.

My husband and I are trying something new. We've found ourselves trancing in front of the television in our spare time, to the point that plans to be productive after watching our favorite show are all too often sabotaged by our need to get through the backlog on our DVR. It's not uncommon, I think, given how convenient and tailored TV watching has become, but it was becoming an umbilical cord that kept us anchored in the living room and not working on other things. So we decided to do something dramatic.

Whispering Truths as Writers

The most powerful stories move us in some way. They connect with us and help us recognize or learn something about ourselves or our human neighbors.

Sometimes the power is from a big reveal or a familiar personality playing out choices with results we understand. Other times, that power comes from a little secret the authors whispers to us in the text.

This secret whisper occurs when a certain emotion or moment in the story is punctuated by a single truth that resonates beyond the page and hums a little in the heart. It is the moment when the author peels back the layer of safety on our world and shows us an underlying reality that we might have overlooked, or perhaps not wanted to see at all.

It is the type of secret the soul recognizes.

Tough Defense

Know thyself. The two words sound like they should be a part of an after school special at this point, but I didn't realize until my thirties just how important it was to understand myself so that I could reach my goals.

Setting a goal is easy. It's a vision that feels within reach. We daydream about it. The Secret would tell us that's all we need to do, and though there is power in positive thinking and affirmation of possibility becoming reality, we must take action if we are to ever reach that goal.

For some, action is the hardest part. I know it was for me. How many goals had I logged into my virtual calendar on Someday in the month of When I Have the Time? It took some inspiration from a dear friend and a swift kick in the pants from her for me to realize that someday was always going to be a future date until I took ownership of my time and made it now. So I did.

However, the action is just the beginning. As with any goal, there is a journey involved and it is amazing how often something will rise up to try and thwart that journey. If the momentum of the journey can be slowed or stalled, it is much easier to never finish. All too often, these antagonists are ourselves.

I have three: the Critic, the iDeserve It, and the Demotivator.

The Power of Niche

There is something to be said about catering to a niche market. Sure, you might not make as much as someone who is producing mass-sales to zillions of people, but I think the interaction can be more personal.

For something to be a niche area, it must have certain standards that define it. Not everything will meet those standards. There is a community identity that usually evolves from a niche, especially one that is seen as stepping outside of the flow of society.

So imagine being in that niche and searching for something that caters to your interests or appetite. How great does it feel when someone shows up with a product or work that not only meets those standards but satisfies-- maybe even excites? How awesome is it to have that connection with an artist who understands why you love and perhaps live in that niche?

Suddenly there is conversation around this product or work and it gains value not only for how it is celebrated but because so many identify with it. It becomes a community prize and, with time and if good enough, an icon for that niche.

We can create things that will win us the most money, and there's nothing wrong with that. But if value is weighed beyond revenue and defined by cultural significance, then playing to a niche market will have more lasting and intimate impact.

Sometimes the odd duck needs a hero too.

Photo courtesy of Flickr's AhnjF