'To Boldly Go...'

There are times when only a split infinitive will do. 'Boldly to go' doesn't have the same ring to it; neither does 'To go boldly'. But 'To boldly go...!' Now you're talking!

There's no place in writing for timidity. Writing is where you take risks, try things out. If something doesn't work, it doesn't really matter. No one ever died from bad writing!

You can always edit what you've written afterwards if you really think you went too far, pull yourself back in. But if you don't take the risk in the first place to breathe life and fire into your writing, it will be much harder to put right.

Timid writing is bland. Timid writing does nothing for the reader. Timid writing does nothing for you either, because inside of you is a powerful man or woman with fantastic ideas that are bursting to get out, if only you'd stop sucking in your stomach, crossing your legs, and trying to keep them all safely inside.

Give yourself a break. Be a free spirit for once. Let your imagination, your pen, your computer keyboard take you to voyage in unexplored realms, to feel powerful emotions. Set off on your journey with nothing like Dick Whittington with your imaginary bundle on your back and hope in your heart, and see whether the streets of the imagination really are paved with gold.

There's a whole big world out there.... inside of you... waiting for you to explore it. Go boldly, my friend!