Questions, Questions!

“Since before your sun shone bright in the sky, I have awaited a question.” — The Guardian of Forever (from the original series Star Trek episode, “City On The Edge Of Forever,” written by Harlan Ellison

A wise person once observed that a true genius is somebody who never stops asking questions. Long ago I read a book called How To Think Live Leonardo DaVinci, and it recommended making a list of 100 Big Questions. Statements are all well and good, but questions open up more pathways of thought.

If you want to strike up a conversation, ask a question. If you want the solution to a problem, ask the right questions.

"Ask, and it will be given to you." Matthew 7:7.

As writers, we are always asking questions. When reading a well-written book, for instance, we might ask ourselves how the author is able to hold our attention so effectively, and how can we employ that method in our own way. Or, when reading a book that is not well-written, we might ask, “What is the author failing to do?” We can learn by this as well.

While writing a fictional tale, we might ask, “How can I make life more difficult for my hero?” This may seem sadistic, but a lot of great literature arises from strong characters dealing with dire circumstances. On a more nuts-and-bolts level, we might ask, “How can I punch up the prose in this paragraph? Is my language vigorous enough? Are my verbs active enough?”

HERE ARE SOME MORE QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
When somebody asks, "So how is your writing coming along?" What is your immediate, gut reaction? What might your response say about your subconscious attitude toward your literary endeavors?

How honest is your fiction?

On the spectrum from totally safe to extremely dangerous, where do you feel your work lands?

Have you ever had reservations about sharing your literary work because it was controversial? Or maybe it revealed something about yourself? Or maybe it dealt with some uncomfortable truth about life, human nature, etc.?

What literary skill are you currently working to develop?

What do you find most difficult and/or challenging about literary creation?

What do you find most enjoyable and/or exhilarating about writing?

What are your personal and profession aspirations in regards to writing?

What is it you really, really, really yearn to accomplish with your writing?