It was a true honor to see Donald Samson in Boulder, CO last night and hear him talk about his Star trilogy. Authors of published works are often asked the same types of questions by their fans. What is your advice for writers? How did you come up with your ideas? Can you relate to any of your characters? It's funny that I have heard these questions so often, I can usually figure out how the author will answer. For example: their answer to the question "What is your advice for writers" is usually "Write. Write all the time."
This particular author had a little bit of a different answer. He said that anyone who enjoys doing something should "follow their star". Following a dream is one thing, but accomplishing a dream is an entirely different story. As I sat there, watching the event unfold, and how the author reacted to certain questions, I imagined that it can be a simple way to achieve a goal, but it can also be complicated. There are many hardships when someone is on the path to achieving a dream. They must make sacrifices. They must learn to compromise, and so on. But I think the hardest of these challenges is to continue their motivation and "follow their star" so to speak. In many ways, this is the true test of an artist's motivation. The ultimate goal of an artist is to follow their muse and set their course determined upon what truly matters to them. This is no easy task. Money is involved, time, education, relationships etc. It is a difficult road and an overwhelming obstacle.
If there is one word to describe the attitude of an artist, besides creative, it is ambitious. An artist goes above and beyond and then some. Always working and never quite satisfied with one project, moving on with another. Still, an artist must follow that path toward their dream, stick to it and earn their way towards their star.
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