Inspiraton

Is it sad to be inspired by an animated movie? I think not. When my DH and I got married in our twenties, we both owned copies of Peter Pan. What are the chances we'd both believe in Neverland?

Needless to say, animation is not just for kids (or puppies) in this house.

So, over the weekend, the DH and I watched the animated film Robots. I learned two important things:

1) You can shine no matter what you're made of.

2) A dream you don't fight for will haunt you for the rest of your life.

It's amazing how the themes of many beloved movies are applicable to the writing life and to most other artistic endeavors. I love movies about following your dreams. Crap, I even loved Field of Dreams. "If you build it, they will come."

Can't that be said about any dream? Of course in writing, it's more like, "If you write it, they might first reject it, but keep improving as a writer and heck, then they might just buy it." The bottom line is first you have to build, write, paint, create it. It starts with action. Not wishing or hoping, as much as I'd like that to be true.

Speaking of writing, I'm also listening to an audio version of On Writing by Stephen King this week on my commute around the valley. I love this line -- "Write with your door closed; edit with your door open."

Have you ever gleaned a good mantra from a book or movie?