Why You Shouldn't Settle for Mediocrity

Because "good enough" isn't good enough. It's boring, common place. Your work shouldn't be boring and common place. If it is, maybe it doesn't inspire you enough.

The kernel of inspiration should sprout an amazing little tree that grows in all directions, and you as the gardener get to shape it into whatever you want it to be.

Also, if your work bores you, it will show through. And it won't stand out.

Think of your favorite authors. What makes them stand out to you? What do they do different?

Mediocrity is being stuck by the same rules or the same trends as everyone else. Perhaps riding the wave of popularity makes money, but what if it doesn't? You could more easily be lost amid the other authors trying to pull off the exact same thing.

You shouldn't write a book you aren't invested in, a book that doesn't stir your blood. Like when you read a really good book and get annoyed at life for getting in the way, but you can't wait to get back to it at night to finish it. That's how you should feel about your ideas. Not just settling because something sounds good or someone told you to.

What excites and inspires you? What characters have you created that pop out? What plots do you enjoy?

Write that story!

People don't read books to be bored. They don't read books for the phoned-in feel and experience. They're looking for a thrill. For a connection to something deeper, for a laugh, for an exciting plot twist, for the love story. For so

many reasons.

There are millions of books in the world. Why should readers settle for a mediocre book?

Why should they pick up your book over another? What can you offer that the world hasn't seen yet?