"Dive into your obliviousness. It may turn out to be the greatest project you ever worked on. Ignorance is bliss, but it can also be a creative advantage."

When I tell people I'm writing a new novel set in America, jaws drop. "What the heck, Michelle? All your stories are set in England. What in the world do you know about Colonial times?"

Answer: not a whole lot . . . and that answer really freaks people out. How can I even think of starting a story without having finished my research?

Answer: because it's a story . . . not an encyclopedia entry. It's art. It's taking the reader by the hand and introducing them to characters who will grow and change and overcome.

Here's the deal: if I waited until I researched out every detail of the year 1770 in the area of South Carolina, I wouldn't be able to start writing the story for at least a few years. Do you think readers will wait that long for me to put out a book?

Not that I'm belittling research, mind you. In fact, that's one of my favorite parts about writing. I love to learn. But if I focused on getting all the facts lined up like rubber duckies on a starting line, I'd never cross the finish line and type "The End" because I would become completely overwhelmed with the enormity of the task.

The hardest thing to overcome when tackling any project is the paralyzing fear of how much work the project might be. 

Figuring things out to the minutest detail prevents you from taking risks. It's a lot easier to begin a project if you aren't bowled over by the amount of work involved.

Sometimes ignorance is indeed bliss.