The other day, I came across this handy dandy list and had to share.

I live by these rules of behavior (and others, of course), but I never even realized that until I saw them in print. Which got me thinking… each of us has unwritten rules that guide us through life (or that we rebel against!), rules we learned from our parents or other role models or in school. Rules against which, right or wrong, we judge ourselves and others.

It’s the same with my fictional characters. Like real people, they hold self-judgments they certainly judge other characters. Oftentimes, the reasons for those judgements, their particular rules, remain hidden, even to me, their creator, and only appear as the story unfolds and begins to deepen. I love that slow reveal, which feels real and yet magical to me. And I enjoy showing the reader, and eventually the characters, just how misguided these rules can be.

Over the next few days and weeks, I plan to consider some of the other unwritten rules by which I live. What are the rules you hold dear, that maybe you’ve never realized you have?

Until Friday, and wishing you a day of insight and realization,

Ann

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