Question Box : Creating Characters

When creating a main character, is it better to start with a good girl/guy with a drop of "bad", or a bad girl/guy with a drop of "good"?

I have been pondering this question for three days now. First, that is way too much energy for my little brain to expend. Second, I have been so stuck I actually asked my husband for his opinion.

Seriously?

I am going to tackle this to the best of my ability. If the answer is convoluted I apologize :0)

I am guessing my struggle with this question comes from none of my characters being all good or all bad. Each individual has the potential for both extremes. Therein come the fun in playing with them. Pushing their limits and watching what happens. Personally, it is more fun to push a good character over the edge than making an evil character good.

My logic-- simple human nature leans toward good. No one is pure good, or angelic, there is always a sliver of bad in the foreground, that keeps them human.

Pure evil, all bad is much more accepted. Think about it, if someone is too good we automatically assume a screw is loose. No one is without darkness.

However, there are characters that are truly embraced because they are the essence of evil. Is this because in the bad we want to find the good or the other way around?

Some of the most romantic tales are those portraying true love conquering pure evil. A strength of emotion between two people blurring all lines and erasing all fear and doubt.

Now, so I can say I honestly answered the question. Is it better to start with one or the other? I say neither is preferred. It is all gray to me.  

Question Box : What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?

Remaining sane as a writer-- Wow, I am considered sane? Ummm…okay let me think about this. First you must have a sense of humor in regards to yourself and others. You cannot take yourself too seriously or you will crack before you even start to get any momentum.  Writing is as much about heartache and pain as it is about fulfillment and joy. You need to roll with the punches to get from one to the other, or you will burn out quickly.

You must have confidence in yourself and what you are doing.  If you do not have confidence in what you are writing, why would expect anyone else? Now there is a difference between confidence and arrogance. It is imperative that you know the difference. Confidence is pride in your work. You have done your best and want to share it with others because it is your heart and your love. Arrogance is sharing something because you believe it to be the best, and you are of the opinion that people will want to read it simply because it is superior in some regard.

Resilience is an absolute necessity. An artist’s life, whether you are a musician, writer, or painter, is a life filled with self doubt and rejection. It is the reality of a choice each of us makes.  Due to this you must be able to bounce back, rebound from disappointment, and start again. Not because you can, but because you must.

Another important attribute is the ability to be flexible, in your work, your choices and in your life in general. Life is not a straight line from beginning to end, and neither is writing. Things, ideas, and routes change, and you need to be able to change with them. This is imperative.  Being rigid has its rewards. However, rigid walls quickly turn into a box, closing off your muse and muting a plethora of possibilities. Flexibility is an asset, and should be used as such. The more flexible you are, the broader your horizons.

The Boy Scout motto is always be prepared. The muse will strike when least expected, and if you are not prepared brilliance can pass you by. Don’t think you can remember it all because you can’t.  So plan, prepare, and always be ready to hit the ground running.

Procrastination or Inspiration?

As a writer the easiest thing in the universe to do is procrastinate. 
You can find a billion reasons to not write.
Too tired, laundry is piling up, the bathroom needs to be cleaned, you need to go to the store, weeds need to be pulled, the fly buzzing around the room is too distracting, kids need me, too loud, too quiet, no inspiration. I have used them all.
Fortunately, I have broken out of the sticky web of procrastination. Not saying that I don’t fall back every now and again. However, I have realized that my procrastination will actually stall my creative flow. I am in essence putting my muse on mute. I have learned that if you keep it silent for too long, when you do turn the volume back up you will find nothing but silence.
I love people that tell you they are ‘working up to’ something. I have learned it is code for ‘I have no freaking idea what I am going to do’. But that’s okay. We have all been there, when the ideas and the flow seem just out of reach, so why waste time staring a blank screen? Why spend precious hours writing useless prattle? If the inspiration isn’t there, it just isn’t there…right?
See, here’s the thing… Staring at the blank screen, believe it or not, is not a waste of time. Writing gibberish does more than give you sore shoulders. These seemingly useless exercises can in fact amount to brilliance. How? Because you are doing it! You are focused on your task. You are allowing your mind to wander to all of those wonderful places where the kernels of inspiration collect. Given enough time and patience they will pop and you were soar!
I have said it a million times and I cannot stress it enough. The reason I do is because I don’t want anyone to miss out on the chance of brilliance! If you are going to write, than write! If you are going to write a song, write it! If you are going to conquer the world, get to work!
Someone once said that ‘Procrastination is the ruin of the brilliant man’. And while I am not going to go to that degree I will say that it is a slippery slope. So mind your balance and open the door for brilliance, it is waiting!