Every Wednesday, the writers at YA Highway ask a reading or writing related question, aptly named Road Trip Wednesday. This week’s question:

What are your writing and publishing super powers? — and what’s your kryptonite?

Sticky notes. Sticky notes are my secret weapon and my writing super power. I use them on plot boards. I use them on the edge of my monitor. I have a stack with a pen beside my bed, to write down ideas from dreams. I have a set in my purse in case something hits me while I’m out and about. Some of them have a single word, like a character’s name, or “mustache.” Some have a random simile. Others have major plot points or scenes crammed to the edge. And some remind me that my son has cub scouts this week. I may single-handedly keep the post-it industry in business.

I have plenty of sources of kryptonite, but the strongest is objectivity. I struggle to read my writing with fresh, objective eyes. I skip over editing mistakes because I read what I meant to say. I have trouble seeing the story as it exists on the pages, unclouded by the way I imagined it in my mind. Thank goodness for critique partners and beta readers to combat that problem!

I love the analogy for this post; my female dog is named Lois Lane. I wanted to name our boy chihuahua Clark Kent, so our dogs would be Lois and Clark, but the husband wasn’t having it. We ended up with Lois and Indiana Jones instead. How about you? Do you have any superpowers or kryptonite, writing or otherwise?

Until next time…

Music for today: Loving on Adele’s 21 this week!