Staying inside the lines

I've read several good novels lately. It was obvious that the authors had studied their craft. The stories had three-act structures and solid goals, motivations and conflicts. They were good.

I've also read some books recently that were better than good. They made me feel something. They stuck with me long after I read them. I was sad when I finished the last page.

What makes one book good and another great? Is it the structure, the story, the characters, the writing?

It's probably a combination of all those things, but I also noticed something that the authors of these books seemed to have in common:

Fearlessness

I love to follow the rules. I enjoy craft books. I think learning how to write is important. But I also think that sometimes we become such slaves to doing things "right" that we forget to write with the passion, fearlessness, and honesty that it takes to create not just a good book but a great book.

So I'm going to start letting myself have more fun with my writing and not let those well-intentioned lines get in my way.

What do you think makes a book great? 

Tale of a Recovering Perfectionist

I've spent the last few days at the national American Christian Fiction Writers Conference. I love this conference, and the wonderful, creative, fun writers who attend it.

There is one giant downside to the conference. It tends to bring out my need to try to be perfect.

Is my agent / editor pitch perfect? Is my one-sheet perfect? Are my business cards perfect? Are my outfits perfect?

It's exhausting.

The day I arrived at the hotel, I realized I hadn't memorized my pitch, I was beginning to think everything I had prepared for conference was all wrong, and I had a big blemish on my forehead that I was sure the editors were going to be staring at when we met.

But God, in that perfect way only He has, has been moving. It turns out that my writer friends--some new and some from years past--don't seem to notice all the imperfections. My agent and editor sessions have been better than any year before because instead of reciting my perfectly planned pitch, I'm able to have real conversations with them.

In one session led by Jim Rubart and Allen Arnold, they talked about how we can't have control and freedom at the same time. Isn't that what perfectionism is? A futile attempt to control things.

God doesn't ask for me to try to be perfect while I'm here. He knows I'll just mess it up. He asks me to walk into the experience with an open heart and reliance that He's got this.

How about you? Are you a perfectionist? Are there certain things that bring out your perfectionism?