Choose Your Cage
My favorite quote is my own!
It’s in a story I wrote somewhere — can’t even remember which one — and it resurfaces often. This line works for almost every scenario I’m in where a second-long crumb of advice might be welcome:
YOU ARE FREE WHEN YOU CHOOSE YOUR CAGE
As in, decide to love the skin you’re in.
Hunker down in your chosen home and make it your idea of heaven.
Commit to a plan. Use outlines!
Love the one you’re with.
Form your novel around a shape (my Four Corners is all squares, Degas is a parabola).
Hoard as much as you want in this one little cabinet.
