Ceara Comeau's Blog: Lessons From A Struggling Writer, page 6
April 24, 2019
Pick Your Battles
Picture this: You are juggling four projects; all are pretty time sensitive. One happens to be your writing, which takes most of your time whether it’s the actual writing or marketing. Then you have a small personal project on the side that ideally, you want to be done at a certain time. But along with those two things, you are tasked with two big volunteer projects that not only take more time than you expected but in some ways ask more from you than you’d like.
Now, if you’re like me. You might have initially thought that you could handle all projects and get them done on time with no struggles, despite the fact you also have a number of events to attend the month the volunteer projects are due. In a fantasy world, this would be realistic, but not this in one. That’s something I had to find out the hard way.
You see, a few weeks back, I was talking to a writer friend at an event regarding some of the situations that I’d been dealing with regarding one of the volunteer situations. He smiled at me and nodded his head, seemingly reflecting back on his own past. He said to me, “Congratulations, you’ve graduated to [Senior] author! Many authors are stuck in that [honeymoon] phase.”
I laughed quite a bit at this and felt so much relief that I wasn’t alone and this was normal. That’s not to say doing volunteer work is bad, it’s great! But it becomes a problem when you spread yourself so thin that, like me, you put your real work; the work that pays the bills, off to the side. I came to a point where I put away my writing, reading, and stuff that made me happy just to help other people. I know this goes without saying, but that’s not the right way to go about things.
If you’re in a position where people are coming to you for volunteer work or help or something that could potentially put your primary goals/work off to the side. It’s perfectly acceptable to say, “No thank you, I’m not interested.”
The unplanned projects, and at times the consequences of some, put me so far back, that even my emotions and energy were drained. I literally had to force myself to stop and do something that made me happy. And let me tell you, that was a challenge. I love to help and encourage people, but I can’t do that if I don’t respect myself enough to know when enough is enough. That I have too much on my plate.
You might not be a writer or an artist of any sort. Maybe you’re a business person or work as a cashier. This kind of situation applies to anyone of any age. Choose your battles wisely. Know what your limits are and don’t do what I did and try to convince yourself that you can push just a bit farther. It’s unhealthy and in the long run, it will wear you down.
Now, if you’re like me. You might have initially thought that you could handle all projects and get them done on time with no struggles, despite the fact you also have a number of events to attend the month the volunteer projects are due. In a fantasy world, this would be realistic, but not this in one. That’s something I had to find out the hard way.
You see, a few weeks back, I was talking to a writer friend at an event regarding some of the situations that I’d been dealing with regarding one of the volunteer situations. He smiled at me and nodded his head, seemingly reflecting back on his own past. He said to me, “Congratulations, you’ve graduated to [Senior] author! Many authors are stuck in that [honeymoon] phase.”
I laughed quite a bit at this and felt so much relief that I wasn’t alone and this was normal. That’s not to say doing volunteer work is bad, it’s great! But it becomes a problem when you spread yourself so thin that, like me, you put your real work; the work that pays the bills, off to the side. I came to a point where I put away my writing, reading, and stuff that made me happy just to help other people. I know this goes without saying, but that’s not the right way to go about things.
If you’re in a position where people are coming to you for volunteer work or help or something that could potentially put your primary goals/work off to the side. It’s perfectly acceptable to say, “No thank you, I’m not interested.”
The unplanned projects, and at times the consequences of some, put me so far back, that even my emotions and energy were drained. I literally had to force myself to stop and do something that made me happy. And let me tell you, that was a challenge. I love to help and encourage people, but I can’t do that if I don’t respect myself enough to know when enough is enough. That I have too much on my plate.
You might not be a writer or an artist of any sort. Maybe you’re a business person or work as a cashier. This kind of situation applies to anyone of any age. Choose your battles wisely. Know what your limits are and don’t do what I did and try to convince yourself that you can push just a bit farther. It’s unhealthy and in the long run, it will wear you down.
March 22, 2019
Level 10
We all go through periods in our life where we find ourselves procrastinating for one reason or another. That word just about sums up my entire month. My mind was consumed with daily concerns, whether that be finances or writing and I wanted an escape. So, I made levels for myself. I said to my husband, “If I get to level 10, then there’s no going back.”
Now, mind you, I said this mostly joking. But deep in my mind, I wanted to see how far I could go. Now, what could have caused me to procrastinate so much? What began this downward spiral toward the dreaded level 10?
The book I’m currently writing. That’s what.
“But you love to write, don’t you?” you might be thinking.
Yes, to infinity! But I was seriously struggling with future thoughts about the book. Money’s tight, where am I going to get the funds to pay my editor? Is the book too far out there that even my beta readers will lose interest? Will I have to put it off another year? If I don’t meet my goals and get one book out a year, people will give up on me. I don’t want to let my fans down!
Sure, a lot of these thoughts seem far out there and paranoid. But that’s what these levels of procrastination do to a person. I distracted myself with so many things this month, whether it be binge-watching the latest show, going to the mall and walk around, starting an entirely new project that had nothing to do with writing. Guys, I did it all. And I just fell deeper into that paranoid mindset.
Until I talked to my mom. (Which, by the way, moms do know everything! 😉)
I spent St. Patrick’s Day with my parents and although we had a lot of fun just catching up, I pulled my mom aside and told her my concerns with this book. And you know what she did? She gave me some serious tough love.
Now, she’s not a writer and not much of a reader, but she said something to me that was so profound, I still can’t stop thinking about it.
I expressed to her that I had no motivation to work on this book. I was concerned about money being tight and I was hoping that maybe when I get the money, I’ll get that motivation back.
She looked at me and said, “If you’re looking/waiting for motivation, you’re not going to get it. It’s what you tell yourself!”
Just that simple statement turned my mind around. She was absolutely right. Waiting for motivation to come is like running in circles. It won’t come, not unless I put one step forward and keep moving on. No, I don’t have a lot of money right now, but that doesn’t mean the upcoming events I have won’t give me the money I need.
Motivation is an easy thing to lose and a hard thing to get back. But in the grand scheme of things, life is always going to throw us curveballs. Things will come up that will dampen our motivation and cause us to seek out that level 10. But as Charles Swindoll once said, “Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.”
Now, mind you, I said this mostly joking. But deep in my mind, I wanted to see how far I could go. Now, what could have caused me to procrastinate so much? What began this downward spiral toward the dreaded level 10?
The book I’m currently writing. That’s what.
“But you love to write, don’t you?” you might be thinking.
Yes, to infinity! But I was seriously struggling with future thoughts about the book. Money’s tight, where am I going to get the funds to pay my editor? Is the book too far out there that even my beta readers will lose interest? Will I have to put it off another year? If I don’t meet my goals and get one book out a year, people will give up on me. I don’t want to let my fans down!
Sure, a lot of these thoughts seem far out there and paranoid. But that’s what these levels of procrastination do to a person. I distracted myself with so many things this month, whether it be binge-watching the latest show, going to the mall and walk around, starting an entirely new project that had nothing to do with writing. Guys, I did it all. And I just fell deeper into that paranoid mindset.
Until I talked to my mom. (Which, by the way, moms do know everything! 😉)
I spent St. Patrick’s Day with my parents and although we had a lot of fun just catching up, I pulled my mom aside and told her my concerns with this book. And you know what she did? She gave me some serious tough love.
Now, she’s not a writer and not much of a reader, but she said something to me that was so profound, I still can’t stop thinking about it.
I expressed to her that I had no motivation to work on this book. I was concerned about money being tight and I was hoping that maybe when I get the money, I’ll get that motivation back.
She looked at me and said, “If you’re looking/waiting for motivation, you’re not going to get it. It’s what you tell yourself!”
Just that simple statement turned my mind around. She was absolutely right. Waiting for motivation to come is like running in circles. It won’t come, not unless I put one step forward and keep moving on. No, I don’t have a lot of money right now, but that doesn’t mean the upcoming events I have won’t give me the money I need.
Motivation is an easy thing to lose and a hard thing to get back. But in the grand scheme of things, life is always going to throw us curveballs. Things will come up that will dampen our motivation and cause us to seek out that level 10. But as Charles Swindoll once said, “Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.”
February 21, 2019
Artists of Tomorrow
Attention all writers! I have an amazing experience to share with you. And if you’re not a writer, don’t tune me out just yet. This post is really for anyone in the realm of the arts.
Within the last several weeks, I’ve been given the honor of conducting a writer’s workshop for a charter school in my area. And as each week goes by, I can’t help but be inspired by these students and their creativity! One student is working on a magical fantasy world, another student is learning the ropes of the horror genre, another student is developing her spy novel, and there’s even one working on an amazing historical fantasy! But, there’s one student, in particular, who absolutely amazed me. This past week, he finally welcomed me into his amazing science fiction world that blew me away! He showed me dozens of scrolls which had family trees and decrees written out on them. He had countless binders filled with ideas for his world and he’s got fifteen languages going! These ideas span throughout over ninety books! But the most amazing part was, he JUST started formulating these ideas only a year ago.
“Okay, Ceara, you’re bragging now.”
Heck yes, I’m bragging! Want to know why? Because these students are the future. Crazy thought, right? Well, not really. See, writers and artists of today aren’t going to live forever, sad to say, but it’s true. And we don’t often think about that. But maybe we should start.
If you’re a writer or really deal with any art form, might I encourage you to go into the schools near you and talk to students? Teachers are always looking for new workshops that their students might enjoy and they don’t know that you’re out there unless you introduce yourselves.
“I’m not a teacher, I can’t talk to the students!”
(Teachers, please skip over what I’m about to say).
YOU. DON’T. HAVE. TO. BE! Think I said that loud enough 😉 I’m not a teacher, not by a long shot, nor do I intend to go on out and get a degree in teaching. It’s simply not necessary. Experience is sometimes the best “teaching degree”. And, you want to know a secret that many people miss? Most, if not all, times students will listen more to people who AREN’T teachers.
“Well, okay, so I don’t have to be a teacher. But what if I don’t want to teach kids? I’ve got to focus on my (fill in art form here)!”
Sure, that’s totally your prerogative. Consider this, though. Your art form, whatever it may be, could potentially die out. *GASP* Yes, I just said that. It might seem dramatic, I understand, but Baby Boomers and Generation X are in their 50-70s. And the youngest Millennials have reached (approximately) the age of 20! Generation Z is our future, people.
I’ve heard it time and time again of the older generations complaining about kids. “They’re too lazy”, “They’re ungrateful”, “They’re too impatient”, “They’re (fill in the blank)”. We can change that, in fact, we’re the only ones who can!
Let me be real with you. Whether you’re an actor, digital artist, painter, cartoonist, writer, poet, musician, or any other medium of art. We ALL have an obligation to encourage the youth. Educate them in their field of interest. Show them they’re not alone and that we have their backs. Because the children of today will become the artists of tomorrow.
Within the last several weeks, I’ve been given the honor of conducting a writer’s workshop for a charter school in my area. And as each week goes by, I can’t help but be inspired by these students and their creativity! One student is working on a magical fantasy world, another student is learning the ropes of the horror genre, another student is developing her spy novel, and there’s even one working on an amazing historical fantasy! But, there’s one student, in particular, who absolutely amazed me. This past week, he finally welcomed me into his amazing science fiction world that blew me away! He showed me dozens of scrolls which had family trees and decrees written out on them. He had countless binders filled with ideas for his world and he’s got fifteen languages going! These ideas span throughout over ninety books! But the most amazing part was, he JUST started formulating these ideas only a year ago.
“Okay, Ceara, you’re bragging now.”
Heck yes, I’m bragging! Want to know why? Because these students are the future. Crazy thought, right? Well, not really. See, writers and artists of today aren’t going to live forever, sad to say, but it’s true. And we don’t often think about that. But maybe we should start.
If you’re a writer or really deal with any art form, might I encourage you to go into the schools near you and talk to students? Teachers are always looking for new workshops that their students might enjoy and they don’t know that you’re out there unless you introduce yourselves.
“I’m not a teacher, I can’t talk to the students!”
(Teachers, please skip over what I’m about to say).
YOU. DON’T. HAVE. TO. BE! Think I said that loud enough 😉 I’m not a teacher, not by a long shot, nor do I intend to go on out and get a degree in teaching. It’s simply not necessary. Experience is sometimes the best “teaching degree”. And, you want to know a secret that many people miss? Most, if not all, times students will listen more to people who AREN’T teachers.
“Well, okay, so I don’t have to be a teacher. But what if I don’t want to teach kids? I’ve got to focus on my (fill in art form here)!”
Sure, that’s totally your prerogative. Consider this, though. Your art form, whatever it may be, could potentially die out. *GASP* Yes, I just said that. It might seem dramatic, I understand, but Baby Boomers and Generation X are in their 50-70s. And the youngest Millennials have reached (approximately) the age of 20! Generation Z is our future, people.
I’ve heard it time and time again of the older generations complaining about kids. “They’re too lazy”, “They’re ungrateful”, “They’re too impatient”, “They’re (fill in the blank)”. We can change that, in fact, we’re the only ones who can!
Let me be real with you. Whether you’re an actor, digital artist, painter, cartoonist, writer, poet, musician, or any other medium of art. We ALL have an obligation to encourage the youth. Educate them in their field of interest. Show them they’re not alone and that we have their backs. Because the children of today will become the artists of tomorrow.
January 24, 2019
The Elephant
It’s time to address the elephant in the room. Two problems that writers, myself included, like to ignore as it’s a difficult topic to discuss. So challenging, in fact, that I’ve put off writing this blog post for twenty days.
So, what is this secret problem?
Let me give you two scenarios, both completely opposite of each other:
Person: “You’re doing so great at this writing thing! I follow you on social media and you’re everywhere! You’re famous!”
Or
Person: “I’ve seen what you’ve been doing, it’s okay.”
Both of these scenarios have problems for writers, and yes, I’ve experienced both. The first person gives us a huge pat on the back, which we are really grateful for and often times we need. It’s GREAT to know that we have cheerleaders on our side! The second person is typically the one who is jealous of our success but doesn’t want to admit it. Both of these scenarios have one thing in common. They think we’re popular/famous and there’s no struggle. That’s because they only see the posts we share on social media—they only see the good.
Let me be completely transparent with you. Whether you are the first or second person, there’s something you need to know. Our lives are TOUGH too! When you’re writing for a living, or in my case trying, life is not going to give you a free pass and make you super famous just because you’re doing something different.
“Oh, we know that! We’re just happy to see your success!” some might say.
And as writers, we’re happy that you see that! But did you know a lot of that success stems from the struggle and even heartache of life? People see that I post a LOT of good things on social media, but in reality, these last few months have been unbelievably difficult for me. My cousin, who was super supportive of my writing, was murdered a week before Thanksgiving, I got laid off at my job just a few days before Christmas, I’m still in between jobs and not sure when/where I’ll get my next paycheck. To top that all off, I got a second degree burn on my hand a few weeks back that forced me to put off writing for a bit.
But through all of that, I’ve tried to keep my fans informed, show them the glamor of the writing life. When I post those things, I don’t do it just to show myself that I’ve got a LOT to be thankful for, I do it for the fans, to show how happy I am for their support. I do it in hopes that other would-be writers might get some encouragement. But it’s not easy. So, before you comment on any author or artist’s page about how famous they are or popular, please realize that they might not see themselves like that. Yes, it’s a good morale booster, but coming from an artist/writer standpoint, we don’t want to be put on a pedestal that we can’t get down from. We are just like everyone else. We struggle, some more than others. Our work is our business and we’re just trying to make our way in this crazy world.
So, what is this secret problem?
Let me give you two scenarios, both completely opposite of each other:
Person: “You’re doing so great at this writing thing! I follow you on social media and you’re everywhere! You’re famous!”
Or
Person: “I’ve seen what you’ve been doing, it’s okay.”
Both of these scenarios have problems for writers, and yes, I’ve experienced both. The first person gives us a huge pat on the back, which we are really grateful for and often times we need. It’s GREAT to know that we have cheerleaders on our side! The second person is typically the one who is jealous of our success but doesn’t want to admit it. Both of these scenarios have one thing in common. They think we’re popular/famous and there’s no struggle. That’s because they only see the posts we share on social media—they only see the good.
Let me be completely transparent with you. Whether you are the first or second person, there’s something you need to know. Our lives are TOUGH too! When you’re writing for a living, or in my case trying, life is not going to give you a free pass and make you super famous just because you’re doing something different.
“Oh, we know that! We’re just happy to see your success!” some might say.
And as writers, we’re happy that you see that! But did you know a lot of that success stems from the struggle and even heartache of life? People see that I post a LOT of good things on social media, but in reality, these last few months have been unbelievably difficult for me. My cousin, who was super supportive of my writing, was murdered a week before Thanksgiving, I got laid off at my job just a few days before Christmas, I’m still in between jobs and not sure when/where I’ll get my next paycheck. To top that all off, I got a second degree burn on my hand a few weeks back that forced me to put off writing for a bit.
But through all of that, I’ve tried to keep my fans informed, show them the glamor of the writing life. When I post those things, I don’t do it just to show myself that I’ve got a LOT to be thankful for, I do it for the fans, to show how happy I am for their support. I do it in hopes that other would-be writers might get some encouragement. But it’s not easy. So, before you comment on any author or artist’s page about how famous they are or popular, please realize that they might not see themselves like that. Yes, it’s a good morale booster, but coming from an artist/writer standpoint, we don’t want to be put on a pedestal that we can’t get down from. We are just like everyone else. We struggle, some more than others. Our work is our business and we’re just trying to make our way in this crazy world.
December 16, 2018
The Vicious Hamster Wheel
“You can’t compare your journey to someone else’s…”
“Ceara, dreams come true…”
“If you want to get recognition, you need to take risks…”
I’m sure you’re looking for the connection in these three phrases, but let me save you a headache. None of them have anything in common. In fact, each one was said to me by different people and at different times throughout the past month. But if your mind is like mine and can create connections out of randomness, then you might be able to see where I’m going with all of this. And for those of you who still have no idea what I’m going on about, bear with me! :)
We have all met people, at some point in our lives, that are super egotistical and think they have life figured out. Sometimes we meet these distasteful individuals once, but for some of us, we deal with them on a daily basis. Ego can be such a huge issue in our society. It not only irritates everyone around the person, but it also eats away at the person themselves; making them believe they have to be absolutely perfect in everything they do.
But, did you know there’s a flip side to being egotistical that’s just as damaging? I recently found this out actually. It’s called self-deprecation. In layman’s terms, putting yourself down. How can that be just as bad as egotistical, you might ask. Well, coming from personal experience, putting yourself down makes you depressed and also makes it hard to continue working toward your goals. Just like pride, putting yourself down radiates off of you, even if you don’t say anything that would indicate you feel that way. And sometimes, people who are closest to you can sense those vibes and relationships become more challenging too!
Pride and self-deprecation are the equivalents to a hamster running on its wheel. The hamster is running in a circle, getting nowhere! It has no idea that that’s what happening either, much like us when we fall into those ruts.
“Okay. Pride, bad; self-deprecation, bad. Got it. So, what does this have to do with the first few phrases?”
I’m getting there! Be patient! :)
The first phrase was said to me on more than one occasion by my husband and I really didn’t care at all to hear it. I knew from deep down that I couldn’t and shouldn’t compare my writing journey to another’s. But self-deprecation was causing me to think I had to be at a certain point. Which, in reality, was seriously dumb of me. We all start differently with our journey and there will never be one person who has the exact same story, it’s like snowflakes in a sense—each one is designed differently.
As for the second phrase, that was said to me by a good friend, who by the way had no idea I was going through a rut. And, he’s right! Dreams do come true, but self-deprecation and pride will hinder any chances of that from happening! I was consumed with the thought that I needed to be at a certain point for those dreams to come true, that I forgot it was the journey, not the destination that mattered.
And as for the last phrase, a co-worker who only heard bits of my writing life stated that to me a few weeks back! Taking risks requires believing in yourself. And my self-deprecation squeezed out any urges I had to take those risks.
See folks, what it boils down to is having the confidence in your dreams and goals. I’m not saying it’ll be easy. In fact, slipping into those two vicious hamster wheels is the easiest solution, it happens to everyone at some point and can occur more than once. You just gotta find that happy medium, that middle ground where you know you are good at what you’re doing, but understand there’s more you can do with it—while at the same time not being overly critical of yourself! It’s tough, guys. But it’s doable. If you’re still not convinced, there’s a quote floating around the internet. No idea who originally stated it, but it perfectly sums up this entire blog post.
“I’m not where I want to be, but thank God I’m not where I used to be!”
“Ceara, dreams come true…”
“If you want to get recognition, you need to take risks…”
I’m sure you’re looking for the connection in these three phrases, but let me save you a headache. None of them have anything in common. In fact, each one was said to me by different people and at different times throughout the past month. But if your mind is like mine and can create connections out of randomness, then you might be able to see where I’m going with all of this. And for those of you who still have no idea what I’m going on about, bear with me! :)
We have all met people, at some point in our lives, that are super egotistical and think they have life figured out. Sometimes we meet these distasteful individuals once, but for some of us, we deal with them on a daily basis. Ego can be such a huge issue in our society. It not only irritates everyone around the person, but it also eats away at the person themselves; making them believe they have to be absolutely perfect in everything they do.
But, did you know there’s a flip side to being egotistical that’s just as damaging? I recently found this out actually. It’s called self-deprecation. In layman’s terms, putting yourself down. How can that be just as bad as egotistical, you might ask. Well, coming from personal experience, putting yourself down makes you depressed and also makes it hard to continue working toward your goals. Just like pride, putting yourself down radiates off of you, even if you don’t say anything that would indicate you feel that way. And sometimes, people who are closest to you can sense those vibes and relationships become more challenging too!
Pride and self-deprecation are the equivalents to a hamster running on its wheel. The hamster is running in a circle, getting nowhere! It has no idea that that’s what happening either, much like us when we fall into those ruts.
“Okay. Pride, bad; self-deprecation, bad. Got it. So, what does this have to do with the first few phrases?”
I’m getting there! Be patient! :)
The first phrase was said to me on more than one occasion by my husband and I really didn’t care at all to hear it. I knew from deep down that I couldn’t and shouldn’t compare my writing journey to another’s. But self-deprecation was causing me to think I had to be at a certain point. Which, in reality, was seriously dumb of me. We all start differently with our journey and there will never be one person who has the exact same story, it’s like snowflakes in a sense—each one is designed differently.
As for the second phrase, that was said to me by a good friend, who by the way had no idea I was going through a rut. And, he’s right! Dreams do come true, but self-deprecation and pride will hinder any chances of that from happening! I was consumed with the thought that I needed to be at a certain point for those dreams to come true, that I forgot it was the journey, not the destination that mattered.
And as for the last phrase, a co-worker who only heard bits of my writing life stated that to me a few weeks back! Taking risks requires believing in yourself. And my self-deprecation squeezed out any urges I had to take those risks.
See folks, what it boils down to is having the confidence in your dreams and goals. I’m not saying it’ll be easy. In fact, slipping into those two vicious hamster wheels is the easiest solution, it happens to everyone at some point and can occur more than once. You just gotta find that happy medium, that middle ground where you know you are good at what you’re doing, but understand there’s more you can do with it—while at the same time not being overly critical of yourself! It’s tough, guys. But it’s doable. If you’re still not convinced, there’s a quote floating around the internet. No idea who originally stated it, but it perfectly sums up this entire blog post.
“I’m not where I want to be, but thank God I’m not where I used to be!”
November 8, 2018
Thanksgiving
It’s that time of year again where we all mention the things we’re grateful for. But you know, I feel that’s something we should be thinking about year around. Why? Because we truly have so much to be grateful for, even if we don’t think about it on a daily basis.
We all go through our good and bad days. Some supersede others, I’ll be the first to admit. However, even in those dark times, we can always look for that beautiful silver lining. So, what does being thankful have to do about writing?
Let me backtrack a bit. Early today I was at the bank and had a great conversation with the bank teller who told me her daughter was an aspiring writer. Naturally, I’m all giddy because I love hearing about the younger generation expressing themselves through that form of art. Then our conversation took a sad turn. This woman’s daughter has a disability that hinders her writing. It’s a form of dysgraphia where she can’t retain the spelling of words in her head like many of us do. She has to relearn how to write a single word each time she goes to write. Yet, she still loves the craft. After leaving the bank, this girl was all I could think about.
I mean, how often do we take for granted remembering the spelling of words or how to do simple math problems? Probably every day if we really think about it. This girl honestly inspired me!
To all of you out there who are following your dreams despite a disability, YOU are my heroes! You are the reason I have no excuse to let a writer’s block get in my way. You are the reason I can still have hope that one day I’ll make it big in the writing world! Thank you for not allowing your disability, whatever it may be, stop you from dreaming and reaching your goals!
We all go through our good and bad days. Some supersede others, I’ll be the first to admit. However, even in those dark times, we can always look for that beautiful silver lining. So, what does being thankful have to do about writing?
Let me backtrack a bit. Early today I was at the bank and had a great conversation with the bank teller who told me her daughter was an aspiring writer. Naturally, I’m all giddy because I love hearing about the younger generation expressing themselves through that form of art. Then our conversation took a sad turn. This woman’s daughter has a disability that hinders her writing. It’s a form of dysgraphia where she can’t retain the spelling of words in her head like many of us do. She has to relearn how to write a single word each time she goes to write. Yet, she still loves the craft. After leaving the bank, this girl was all I could think about.
I mean, how often do we take for granted remembering the spelling of words or how to do simple math problems? Probably every day if we really think about it. This girl honestly inspired me!
To all of you out there who are following your dreams despite a disability, YOU are my heroes! You are the reason I have no excuse to let a writer’s block get in my way. You are the reason I can still have hope that one day I’ll make it big in the writing world! Thank you for not allowing your disability, whatever it may be, stop you from dreaming and reaching your goals!
October 11, 2018
An Honest Job
This is the point where I swallow my pride and admit that I was absolutely wrong. If you’ve been following my blog posts, first I would like to say a big thank you! Second, you might recall that I wrote a blog post not too long ago regarding writing for a living. Now, I stand by what I said then, it can be done. But I’ve been given a whole new perspective on the topic.
Let me take you back to the beginning of September where I finally realized I was stuck in the same spot in my marketing strategy. My books weren’t moving forward and that’s not for lack of trying either. I was at that stage where I needed to step up my game. But to do that, a small amount of money is required and I didn’t have that. So, I caved into what everyone was telling me and I actually got a part-time job! Since then, I’ve been working at a chocolate factory…and before you ask…no…I’m not an Oompa Loompa 😉
With my paycheck coming in weekly, I’ve been able to start budgeting. Half of my check goes to what I call, “adulting”, and the other half goes into a separate bank account for me, “book fund”.
Progressively, I’ve accumulated enough money where I am now able to start seeking out new and more expensive opportunities to reach other people. Sadly, I can’t do everything I’d like…at least not all at once. This experience has taught me to not only budget, but decide on what’s worth the money and what I can get away with doing on my own.
I enjoy the work I do at the factory. Some days are harder than others, believe me. But, I couldn’t ask for a better job. Why? Because my co-workers and managers absolutely respect that I’m trying to make a living off my books. They even try to help me so I can make time for work and writing. Now, I don’t know about you, but not many part-time jobs are that flexible.
Now, I can’t say it’s all fun. Working a part-time job and trying to start my own writing career are extremely taxing, mentally and at times physically. But it’s definitely possible, at least until I can get on my feet with one job—writing.
I have friends that are writing for a living and I have some that are nearly there. But do you want to know what they all have in common? Time. I can bet you that it took them years to get to the point where they were financially stable. And that was something I initially had a hard time grasping. As my husband and pretty much anyone else in my life can tell you, I am terrible with patience. But the primary thing I’ve learned throughout this lesson…it’s totally okay to have an honest job on the side.
Let me take you back to the beginning of September where I finally realized I was stuck in the same spot in my marketing strategy. My books weren’t moving forward and that’s not for lack of trying either. I was at that stage where I needed to step up my game. But to do that, a small amount of money is required and I didn’t have that. So, I caved into what everyone was telling me and I actually got a part-time job! Since then, I’ve been working at a chocolate factory…and before you ask…no…I’m not an Oompa Loompa 😉
With my paycheck coming in weekly, I’ve been able to start budgeting. Half of my check goes to what I call, “adulting”, and the other half goes into a separate bank account for me, “book fund”.
Progressively, I’ve accumulated enough money where I am now able to start seeking out new and more expensive opportunities to reach other people. Sadly, I can’t do everything I’d like…at least not all at once. This experience has taught me to not only budget, but decide on what’s worth the money and what I can get away with doing on my own.
I enjoy the work I do at the factory. Some days are harder than others, believe me. But, I couldn’t ask for a better job. Why? Because my co-workers and managers absolutely respect that I’m trying to make a living off my books. They even try to help me so I can make time for work and writing. Now, I don’t know about you, but not many part-time jobs are that flexible.
Now, I can’t say it’s all fun. Working a part-time job and trying to start my own writing career are extremely taxing, mentally and at times physically. But it’s definitely possible, at least until I can get on my feet with one job—writing.
I have friends that are writing for a living and I have some that are nearly there. But do you want to know what they all have in common? Time. I can bet you that it took them years to get to the point where they were financially stable. And that was something I initially had a hard time grasping. As my husband and pretty much anyone else in my life can tell you, I am terrible with patience. But the primary thing I’ve learned throughout this lesson…it’s totally okay to have an honest job on the side.
September 12, 2018
If I Hadn't...
If I hadn’t had that one book signing, I would have never met, Dan, an author who helped me reach the people of Auburn, NH.
If I hadn’t donated “Memories of Chronosalis” to the Hooksett, NH library, I would have never known about the New England Author’s Expo.
If I hadn’t attended the first event of the Expo, I would have never met the friends I did or gained the valuable experience.
If I hadn’t gone as a spectator to the Derry, NH library event, I wouldn’t have known about ACX, an audiobook service.
If I hadn’t reached out to, Cayce, a book reviewer, and friend, I would have never known about the Silver Dagger Blog Tours.
If I hadn’t attended the second event of the Expo, I would have never met my author friends, Stephen and Killarney.
If I hadn’t attended the third Expo event, I wouldn’t have been interviewed by Stephen for his vlog.
If I hadn’t dyed my hair, I might not have sold as many books at that event or attracted the attention of a TV producer.
If I hadn’t stayed faithful in posting about my adventures on social media, then Killarney might not have asked me to come on her show too.
If I hadn’t joined the NH Writer’s Project, I would have never known about a local writer’s group.
If I hadn’t attended the group, I would have never known about the Keene Comic-Con and that there was space available for me.
These are but a few moments in the last ten months that have made a tremendous impact on my writing career. And if I hadn’t done any of these things, I would still be at square one. But you see, most of these things weren’t by my doing.
In the chaos of the writing world, or really in any art world, the things that happen to an artist/writer aren’t always in their control, as a fellow author put it. Sure, we can market, we can advertise, we can shout it from the rooftops until we are blue in the face. But, there’s only so much we can do.
Sometimes we get super discouraged and think that we’re wasting our time with this passion of ours. But it’s moments like these—those “If I hadn’ts” that really make me feel so blessed to be where I am.
No, I’m not going to be the next J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, or George R.R. Martin any time soon. But I can be me, and I can look at all the things that have happened in the last several months and think to myself, “If all that can happen in less than a year, what more could possibly happen in two?”
If I hadn’t donated “Memories of Chronosalis” to the Hooksett, NH library, I would have never known about the New England Author’s Expo.
If I hadn’t attended the first event of the Expo, I would have never met the friends I did or gained the valuable experience.
If I hadn’t gone as a spectator to the Derry, NH library event, I wouldn’t have known about ACX, an audiobook service.
If I hadn’t reached out to, Cayce, a book reviewer, and friend, I would have never known about the Silver Dagger Blog Tours.
If I hadn’t attended the second event of the Expo, I would have never met my author friends, Stephen and Killarney.
If I hadn’t attended the third Expo event, I wouldn’t have been interviewed by Stephen for his vlog.
If I hadn’t dyed my hair, I might not have sold as many books at that event or attracted the attention of a TV producer.
If I hadn’t stayed faithful in posting about my adventures on social media, then Killarney might not have asked me to come on her show too.
If I hadn’t joined the NH Writer’s Project, I would have never known about a local writer’s group.
If I hadn’t attended the group, I would have never known about the Keene Comic-Con and that there was space available for me.
These are but a few moments in the last ten months that have made a tremendous impact on my writing career. And if I hadn’t done any of these things, I would still be at square one. But you see, most of these things weren’t by my doing.
In the chaos of the writing world, or really in any art world, the things that happen to an artist/writer aren’t always in their control, as a fellow author put it. Sure, we can market, we can advertise, we can shout it from the rooftops until we are blue in the face. But, there’s only so much we can do.
Sometimes we get super discouraged and think that we’re wasting our time with this passion of ours. But it’s moments like these—those “If I hadn’ts” that really make me feel so blessed to be where I am.
No, I’m not going to be the next J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, or George R.R. Martin any time soon. But I can be me, and I can look at all the things that have happened in the last several months and think to myself, “If all that can happen in less than a year, what more could possibly happen in two?”
August 13, 2018
Blue Hair
Let’s see, what have I been up to these last few months where I’ve been MIA? I got married in June, went to Ireland for two weeks for my honeymoon, and landed a new apartment the second we got back. Oh, and on a totally unrelated note, I chopped twelve inches off my hair and dyed it blue.
“You did…what?!”
Yes, you heard me right, I got married, went to Ireland, and got an apartment…Oh! You meant the hair thing? Yes, I really did cut my hair and dye it blue 😊
“But why? Your hair was fine!”
For one single reason…marketing.
“Marketing? What kind of marketing is that?”
Allow me to explain. For the longest time, I’d go to events and many people would stop by my table. We’d strike up a conversation and then they’d pick up my book to read what it was all about. Sadly, the majority of them put the book down and politely thanked me for my time. Now, why is that? Well, I noticed that the first thing people noticed about my table wasn’t my extreme space theme, it was in fact, me! I didn’t match what I wrote at all. Yes, I wore similar clothes to represent space, I had make-up, and I even did my nails all spaced-out.
But when I spoke with people, I was young, bubbly, and energetic. Completely opposite of my dystopian writing. So, I had this crazy idea to represent one of my characters. It was a HUGE and calculated risk as I had no idea how I’d look with blue hair.
Turns out…I LOVE IT!
With this new appearance, I gained more attention for my books, and even from just total strangers in the grocery store! It made for an excellent talking point. I even got the attention of a TV producer at my last event. She calls me, “The Girl with the Blue Hair”! And I even landed a spot on her show!
Now, I’m not saying go out and do something radical to get attention. Far from it. I believe this “new do” brought out a side of me that I was too afraid to unleash—a side that I only revealed in my writing. I was able to show people exactly who I am, what I write, and why I write. It gave me such a confidence boost, that I felt on top of the world. Sadly, blue dye only lasts six weeks, but it was a lesson to me. Be confident, be fearless, and above all take a chance!
“You did…what?!”
Yes, you heard me right, I got married, went to Ireland, and got an apartment…Oh! You meant the hair thing? Yes, I really did cut my hair and dye it blue 😊
“But why? Your hair was fine!”
For one single reason…marketing.
“Marketing? What kind of marketing is that?”
Allow me to explain. For the longest time, I’d go to events and many people would stop by my table. We’d strike up a conversation and then they’d pick up my book to read what it was all about. Sadly, the majority of them put the book down and politely thanked me for my time. Now, why is that? Well, I noticed that the first thing people noticed about my table wasn’t my extreme space theme, it was in fact, me! I didn’t match what I wrote at all. Yes, I wore similar clothes to represent space, I had make-up, and I even did my nails all spaced-out.
But when I spoke with people, I was young, bubbly, and energetic. Completely opposite of my dystopian writing. So, I had this crazy idea to represent one of my characters. It was a HUGE and calculated risk as I had no idea how I’d look with blue hair.
Turns out…I LOVE IT!
With this new appearance, I gained more attention for my books, and even from just total strangers in the grocery store! It made for an excellent talking point. I even got the attention of a TV producer at my last event. She calls me, “The Girl with the Blue Hair”! And I even landed a spot on her show!
Now, I’m not saying go out and do something radical to get attention. Far from it. I believe this “new do” brought out a side of me that I was too afraid to unleash—a side that I only revealed in my writing. I was able to show people exactly who I am, what I write, and why I write. It gave me such a confidence boost, that I felt on top of the world. Sadly, blue dye only lasts six weeks, but it was a lesson to me. Be confident, be fearless, and above all take a chance!
May 15, 2018
Experiences
“A writer is only good as his or her own experience.” Have you ever heard this or a variation of this saying? Well, I have and for the longest time, I was on the fence about whether it was true or not. I always believed (and still do) that a story comes from within. It can emerge from an idea or really anything. But lately, I’ve been noticing a pattern in my past writings and present. In some way, my personal experiences find their way into my stories.
This isn’t always a bad thing as I have found that making a story personal to the writer tends to tug at the heartstrings of the reader. It allows people to see the real artist.
Now, what does this revelation have to do with anything you ask? For about a month now, I’ve been attempting to get back to an old story I wrote about a couple years back. But when I came back to it, there was so much that needed to be fixed. It was certainly salvageable, but something was missing with it and I didn’t know what until just within this past week. I had been focusing so much on one of the characters and I just couldn’t understand why she wasn’t “talking to me”, that was when I realized that she and I were facing similar obstacles in our lives. This was the origin of my insufferable writer’s block. How could I write about how that character deals with those obstacles if I didn’t know myself?
Well, I’ve been working along with this character to fight through these challenges. The more I look at it, the more I can see how educational writing is. Not from the standpoint of a class you would take in school, but a class you might take every day of your life.
This isn’t always a bad thing as I have found that making a story personal to the writer tends to tug at the heartstrings of the reader. It allows people to see the real artist.
Now, what does this revelation have to do with anything you ask? For about a month now, I’ve been attempting to get back to an old story I wrote about a couple years back. But when I came back to it, there was so much that needed to be fixed. It was certainly salvageable, but something was missing with it and I didn’t know what until just within this past week. I had been focusing so much on one of the characters and I just couldn’t understand why she wasn’t “talking to me”, that was when I realized that she and I were facing similar obstacles in our lives. This was the origin of my insufferable writer’s block. How could I write about how that character deals with those obstacles if I didn’t know myself?
Well, I’ve been working along with this character to fight through these challenges. The more I look at it, the more I can see how educational writing is. Not from the standpoint of a class you would take in school, but a class you might take every day of your life.
