Lisa Young

Novelist   Heather J. Wood shares the benefits of limitations... Heather J. Wood One often thinks of creativity in terms of the blank canvas or the blank page—i.e. the freedom to be able to write about anything one's imagination can conjure up. Some writers chafe at the thought of restrictions. Yet, having set limitations can also be an immense source of creativity. For myself, at least, boundaries have allowed me to go in unexpected directions. I would not have imagined myself writing a teen-oriented novel involving roller derby. In fact, I would have thought the idea was ludicrous a few years ago. Yet when I was offered the opportunity to write "something about roller derby", which eventually turned into my recent book, Roll With It , I was given a wonderful creative gift. The project turned out to a liberating rather than a restricting experience. For one thing, I wasn’t worried about being "literary", so I felt free to write more naturally a...

I'm feeling pretty quiet - in need of hiding away - turtle-style. It's my introverted side rearing its head. But that's okay - I don't really have time to hibernate - but whether I'm out and about or not - the feeling is with me - quiet. Even in the busyness. What I've been slow to accept is that the life of an editor means always being busy. Hello denial. I kept thinking if I could just get a handle on things - it wouldn't be so busy. Wrong. After almost six years as an editor, I'm starting to realize busyness is a way of life. I mean of course all the deadlines that surprise, surprise, never stop. Writing of course has deadlines - I guess all of life is a kind of deadline. But the thing is, I'm learning to accept my lifestyle/career. I don't run around telling everyone I'm busy (as much). I'm not constantly surprised anymore by the piles and piles of paper on my desk. Eventually the deadlines get done and the paper is recycled and the...