Fiction author Robin Brande talks about writing, reading, and other vital matters

My husband had a crazy friend (crazy in a non-endearing way) who, during one of his more manic phases, laid out his whole plan for quitting his job and spending two years traveling around the world. He was so stoked about it–all the places he’d see, the exotic foods he’d eat, the fact that he’d be able to leave behind a job he hated.

And then came the kicker. If he weren’t able to quit his job after all because of financial constraints, he just wouldn’t do any of it. Wouldn’t even go to Canada or Mexico. Wouldn’t travel out of state if he could help it. “Just forget it.”

It’s the same bizarre mentality that keeps people from sitting down and writing that novel that’s been kicking around their brains forever. If they can’t take a whole year off–or a summer, or whatever–to write it, then they can’t write it at all.

I used to have a sign hanging in my law office that said “Perfectionism is an elegant defense against real life.” Because it’s so convenient to tell yourself and other people that you would do this or that, if only. If only you could quit your job. If only you were married. If only you’d win the lottery. If only you’d lose fifty pounds.

When I was in London last month I picked up a skinny little paperback from a bookstore’s Quick Reads table. It’s a memoir by Richard Branson, creator of Virgin Records and Virgin Airways. He’s also one of those guys who keeps circumnavigating the globe in a hot-air balloon.

The book is called Screw It, Let’s Do It. Of course this only adds to my title envy problem. The thrust of the book is get over yourself. Do part of something even if you can’t do all of it right now. Quit your whining. Get off your duff. Go out and start an airline, you big baby.

I love books like that. I love people like that. Wouldn’t you rather hang around with someone whose attitude is, “Okay, so let’s go try that,” than with someone who has a thousand excuses why it won’t work?

So today I’m going to finish my screenplay. And next week I’ll start a new novel. And at some point that one will be done and I’ll start another. Because I finally got over thinking I had to wait for the perfect time–and for huge chunks of time–to begin and finish novels. The perfect time never comes. Or more accurately, the perfect time is exactly right now, when you sit your butt down and shut up and just do your work.

And if you feel like going to New Zealand or India or wherever, you’d better go. Don’t wait to win the lottery and get married and quit your job and lose fifty pounds. There are legions of people sitting at their desks right now waiting for all those pefect pieces to fall into place.

Screw it. Just do it.

Technorati Tags: Writing, Publishing, Travel, Motivation, Goal-Setting, Richard Branson, Virgin Records, Virgin Airlines, Virgin Books

Posted on Friday, July 28th, 2006 at 7:34 am under Life, Writing . Subscribe to responses: RSS 2.0 Comment Feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.