Last December’s #Quest2015, brainchild of creative entrepreneur and writer Jeffrey Davis of Tracking Wonder, really helped me to home in on what I hope to accomplish with my writing. It pushed me to dig deeper, ask better questions, expect more of myself while simultaneously being gentler with myself. Good stuff. So I was excited about #DareToExcel, the newest iteration of the Quest. The #DareToExcel challenge consists of a series of prompts over the month, all designed to crack you open to the creative potential of your best work.
Yesterday the first prompt arrived in my inbox:
#DareToExcel Challenge – 1: What burning question of possibility will influence what & how you create during the next 30 to 90 days?
Choose and write down or illustrate the burning question of possibility you commit to. Don’t be afraid of illustrating it with a little personal flourish. The best innovators and design thinkers make their work “their own.” So own this question.
Write it on a card. Print it out on a poster of your own making. Make it attractive to your creative mind of action so that every day this month you will Rise to Excel and live this question.
Here’s my question, spurred by my current work-in-progress:
I’m excited! I hope you’ll consider joining a wild and wonderful creative pack on this challenge. It’s free. It’s freeing. You can find out more here.
Also, check out how other Questers are engaging their burning questions. I love Lauren’s post, which you can read here.
Vanessa came up with this awesomeness:
as well as this:
You definitely want to read Suzi’s post, especially if you are a mama and creator with Amazon dreams. And listen to her gorgeous words in her own voice via the recording at the end.
Bobbye Middendorf blew my mind more than once with her outrageously deep soul-diving “Love letter to my Divine Audience.”
Julie Jordan Scott poses a bunch of great and generous questions in her post, “How My Burning Question Manifested a Volcanic Eruption in My Every Day Life.”
Brenna Layne 
Reblogged this on A.K. Anderson and commented:
In case you need a burning question today. Also – Brenna add in their mythology and symbolism, and you and I are charting similar courses!
Awesome, AK! I’m in great company, then. Excited to see where your burning question takes you!
I’ve struggled with my question a bit. My goal is to be more creative in my life and make more creative things like I used to when we were kids. Along those lines I was thinking of a question like, “what if instead of consuming things others create I created something for myself and others to consume each day?” Do you think I need to dial it in more to a specific art form. If so I was thinking photography?
Sara, I think that’s a worthy goal! It’s something I think about a lot and aspire to as well. I think your question is great as is. I say play around with all kinds of creativity. If you leave the question big and wide-open for now, you can always refine it over time to photography, if that’s what speaks loudest to you. Whatever you do, I know you will do it with that amazing and gorgeous Sara-grace and enthusiasm. ❤
Awesome! Thanks Brenna! Big hugs and warm wishes on your quest!
You too, Sara!
Also, I love this question of yours!
xoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxo Filling this box with hugs and yips and love and thanks for your bright beauty in the world. xoxoS
Thanks, creative Amazon Suzi! Listening to your words in your voice right now. xoxoxo
Well my first thought was Robin McKinley, of course. This is quite a list as well: http://www.epicreads.com/blog/an-epic-chart-of-162-young-adult-retellings/
Oh, wonderful! Thanks so much! I usually write YA fantasy–often retellings–but am working right now on a faerie tale for adults.