Taking Risks

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If you watch any reality TV competitions-Project Runway, Ultimate Cake Off, Next American Top Model, American Idol, etc.. etc.. inevitably you will hear these words from judges... "It's just a little safe. I expect you to take risks at this point in the competition," blah blah blah...

Some contestants take this advice and run hog wild. The next thing you know they're singing strange songs, designing stranger outfits and the risk taking becomes a joke. Others take it well and find the happy medium. That's a really hard thing to do, I'm sure of it. Especially when I think, "Wow, they nailed it!" and the judges disagree. What do they know, anyway?

The point of all this? It's subjective!! Kara and Simon always disagree on American Idol. Tim Gunn is almost constantly disliking certain designs and the judges see something totally different than he does and they love it. Much like...you guessed it...writing.

In writing we take risks with every word that hits the screen. In writing we take risks every time we send out that submission, communicate with that agent/author/editor and start a blog with the hopes of having a good following. Why? Because we want "them" to take risks on us too.

What about risks in our story telling, though? Not the actual story. But what if you decided to push the envelope a little more and take a risk in writing a book that has nothing to do with any trending? Or, take a risk and write what is trending? Take a risk and twist the trending writing? The possibilities are endless...because what might be a risk for me, is normal for you. What might push my abilities, is your lowest standards. It's all a risk.

What do you think? Are we too obsessed with risky and forgot about good? Or should taking risks become an even larger focus in the writing world?