Today happens to be the birthday of Octavia E. Butler, one of the greatest sci-fi authors of all time (and one who deserves to be named as an SWFA Grand Master). I often share quotes from authors here, but since it’s Butler’s birthday I’m going to go a different direction and share some images of the colorful and inspirational messages Butler left to herself in her private notebooks. They’re a fantastic glimpse into her mind, and perhaps these can serve as an inspiration for our own creative work.

One of Octavia E. Butler's Notes to herself, it reads "I shall be a bestselling writer. After Imago, each of my books will be on the bestseller lists of LAT, NYT, PW, WP, etc. My novels will go onto the above lists whether publishers push them hard or not, whether I’m paid a high advance or not, whether I ever win another award or not. This is my life. I write bestselling novels. My novels go onto the bestseller lists on or shortly after publication. My novels each travel up to the top of the bestseller lists and they reach the top and they stay on top for months. Each of my novels does this. So be it! I will find the way to do this. See to it! So be it! See to it! My books will be read by millions of people! I will buy a beautiful home in an excellent neighborhood I will send poor black youngsters to Clarion or other writer’s workshops I will help poor black youngsters broaden their horizons I will help poor black youngsters go to college I will get the best of health care for my mother and myself I will hire a car whenever I want or need to. I will travel whenever and wherever in the world that I choose My books will be read by millions of people! So be it! See to it!"
One of Octavia E. Butler's Notes to herself, it reads "Tell stories Filled with Facts. Make People Touch and Taste and KNOW. Make People Feel! Feel! Feel!
One of Octavia E. Butler's notes to herself, it reads "No entertainment on earth can match a good story compellingly told."
One of Octavia E. Butler's notes to herself, it reads: "Use Detail to build suspense to regulate pacing to create mood and tone. Build a world with selected detail."
One of Octavia E. Butler's notes to herself, it reads: "Emotional Drive. Strive Always—In All ways at all times—always for Intensity. Cold or hot, hard or soft, gut-wrenching or deeping stilling. Utter Intensity."

This is just a handful of notes left by Butler. Upon her death, she bequeathed her extensive archives to the Huntington Library, which is where the images above are taken. They have loads more, with Butler’s notes on specific work as well. It’s worth checking out.

If you haven’t read any of her work you should fix that! I’d recommend starting with Kindred which remains a poignant time travel tale, or consider the Xenogenesis trilogy starting with Dawn. It’s unlike any science fiction tale I’ve read before. I’ve also heard great things about The Parable series, the first of which is The Parable of the Sower, and while I own both books, they’re still on my TBR pile. I’m hoping to get to the first a little later this summer.