COLORS

One day, when I was lamenting to a work friend about the lack of success of my young adult novel Godtalk, and wondering how I might make it more accessible to teens and less "adult, " my colleague looked at me on our way out to the parking lot, and said, "More colors."

Such simple, yet wise advice from someone who, although he is a great writer, isn't particularly interested in writing anything himself. But I never forgot his advice. His point was quite literal. Young people like visual imagery, and as my friend suggested, by simply including more colors--saying it was a blue bathrobe, for example, or a red sports car--you are creating more visual imagery for your readers to hang their hat on.

In School Spirit, I am already heeding his advice. I have not only included much more visual imagery, but focused specifically on adding more colors.

I am already seeing the positive results.

Another thing I learned from this same colleague? Well, a few months ago, freshly stung, tired, and spent from the latest rejection from Godtalk, I was ready to give up writing forever. But when I started on this new project last week, I realized once more that it is the writing process that matters, not the publication. Easy to say, I realize, but hard to believe. Yet so true. The act of writing made me happier than I'd been in quite some time, and it reminded of something this friend of mine and I had talked about many times: the key to happiness is to find something TO FOCUS on that makes you happy. It is critical to find some hobby, pastime, or diversion that gives you purpose and focus. It just makes life better. If success (a volume on the shelves of the local Barnes and Noble, say) comes, then it comes. If not, then you've still at least had the benefit of having some purpose to which you are committed.

It will, I suspect, give your life "more colors."

Just a thought.