Writing Superstitions: A Top 10 List

As luck would have it, I ran into my good friends Random House Webster (in print) and Merriam-Webster (online), who gave me my first chuckle of the day jumping ahead of me defining how I initially intended to open this post.

Random defines superstition (soo´pər stish´ən) as “an irrational belief or notion of the ominous significance of a particular thing."

Merriam says superstition (sü-pər-´sti-shən) is “a belief or way of behaving that is based on fear of the unknown and faith in magic or luck."

This post however, inspired by a super marvelous page-turner book I’m currently reading, is a list of rational beliefs on writing Fiction that work for me, but others may find irrational.

For instance, and this is number (10) counting down; I do not write when I’m angry or sad. Gratefully my mood swings are fairly sporadic, or in positive language, well balanced.

I also (9) do not write from a closed mind, which true, can be put up for debate. Never-the-less, I believe an open mind lets my characters do their own thing.

I (8) do not write fiction about people I know. Some, too, might find this one debatable, though from my process of cogitation, while I have read stories and imagined semblances of me in a character or two I've read, I still have yet to read a tale about...let’s say Dracula, and gotten worked up thinking the author was writing about me. Who me? If the character isn’t an angel, then this character simply was not intended to be any reflection of me.

I (7) do not write while reading other books, watching TV, or even listening to music. Writing is one of the things I do not share with any other activity.

I (6) do not collaborate with others when I write fiction. I firmly believe in attributing fictional stories to the working imagination of one author (or artist), and only one author or artist.

I (5) do not write books about religion. The Holy book has already been written, and I have yet to finish reading more than one page straight through..

I (4) do not regularly make up words. I ALWAYS make words up, and add them to my computer dictionary.

I (3) do not write advice books on how to live, eat, think, ace job interviews, or become one of the wealthiest individuals in the world. Writing already has enough natural interpretation foibles to its credit. Just peek back up there at those two symmetrically asymmetrically definitions. Things not only could, but would get problematic if I jumped in this lane and started showing off how I tweak and change my mind too.

I (2) as well do not have a favorite writing chair, a best time of day, or any other vice that nurtures my writing. Genuine inspiration is all I need to write, and that can be gotten from a*n*y*where.

My Number (1): I do not write in the palm of my hands, soles of my feet, bottom of my shoes, or anywhere else where my stories are least likely to leave lasting, permanent impressions on hearts and minds.