Quite Contrary

Sometimes we have to bend the rules. In life, as in writing, what works for one person doesn't for another.

If we hit a wall at work or with a work-in-progress, it makes sense to consider another approach or look at our tried-and-true methods from a different angle.

The following are four articles or blog posts that made me smile, think, and begin again with a changed attitude.

At Lifehacker Alan Henry takes aim at productivity myths. Hey, if getting up at four-thirty every morning works for you, keep doing it. But if you fall asleep at the computer monitor at three in the afternoon, make a change that fits your body rhythm. 

James Altucher at The Rumpus describes himself as "mediocre." If that's true, I'll have what he's having. Read his "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Mediocre People." 

Hilary T. Smith, the writer formerly known as The Intern, debunks the kind of advice commonly tossed at novelists. While the advice itself has merit, it doesn't fit every writer or every type of story. http://www.hilarytsmith.com/2013/02/the-auto-mechanic-and-cello-when.html

Finally, author Pam Morsi warns fellow writers against repeating the kind of book that's succeeded before and advises her peers to buck trends if their hearts and stories lead them down less traveled roads. 

Ta da! An announcement: For the next couple of months, due to self-imposed deadlines, I'll be blogging here just once a week, on Thursdays. I hope you'll stop by. Thanks for reading and for leaving comments that buoy my spirits. Want to get my Thursday posts my email? Sign up at the bottom of this page. Again, thanks for reading!