Katey Schultz's Blog, page 3

A Pharmacy of Words

This is too phenomenal (and fun!) not to share:

              

Think Big: Fascination

The big news in my new, THINK BIG category of blog posts, is that I've hired a creative consultant. Why? Read here. [Oh, and the other big news is that I got a mention in The Washington Post -- woot woot!]



The end result will be a clearer, more elegant business model and online presence; one that celebrates my work as an author, highlights my expertise (and heartfelt care!) with my writing participants, and positions me as a thought leader.



To that end, my new best friend (aka the creative consultant) will help me consider some of the following...and this is just the beginning of a 16-week process:



What is it about me (my work, my offers) that fascinates people?What's evolving out of my contributions to the world? What is the impact?What conversations do I contribute to and am I contributing effectively?Is there a business name that comes from who I am, not necessarily where I am in relation to others?What is my audience yearning for?What is my audience's biggest challenge(s)?What is the premise, the promise, and the destination of each service I offer?We're 3.5 video consult hours into this (including the pro-bono consult, discussion of the proposal, and solidifying the agreement) and my mind is already spinning, expanding. I'm so excited for what's to come, not because I think that what I'm doing now isn't authentic; quite the contrary. What I do now is strong and meaningful and matters a lot to me...it matters enough that I'm going to use baking soda for toothpaste and sell every spare item in my home for the next four months in order to make ends meet. Right now, a complete stranger on the outside, looking in, cannot keenly glean the impact of my creative pursuits and passions in the world.



With help, that will change. And by mid-May, that change will go public.
              

Think Big: Clarifying Vision

There are times in our professional lives as artists, when we have to take creative leaps. These leaps have been well documented in discussions of creative flow, and similar themes. But what I want to make note of today are those leaps we have to take that are financial. I’ve often expressed that one of my goals with The Writing Life Blog is to document the highs and lows of the life of a working writer, even if that means sharing professionally vulnerable experiences. I’m motivated to do this, in large part, because when I searched for examples of creative thirty-somethings that were taking book tour and travel leaps like me, I didn’t find very many resources that shared the hard facts.

To that end, I consciously blogged about my book tour, including an exposing interview sharing the financial realities of my experience. I also blogged about reframing failure.

Now, it’s time to talk about what to do when you’re confronted with one of the best problems in the world: a successful business model that has reached its flex-capacity. Writer@Large private students reading this, never fear—my work with you is always at the forefront of my efforts. Those waiting for new enrollment in May, or future full manuscript critiques and consults—likewise rest assured; I have room for your writing and am still actively seeking more students. Please do stay in touch and/or reach out to learn about my services.

But as I navigate my roles as CEO, Board Chair, Founder, Executive Director, Administrative Assistant, Blogger, Arts Writer, Platform Designer, Educator, Public Speaker, and Author for my own business, it’s become increasingly clear that in order to have the flexibility my business needs to grow (rather than simply maintain), I’ve got to hire help. In private conversation with a handful of creative women entrepreneurs, I’ve found that I’m not alone. We all care deeply for what we do, and we likewise believe in asking to be paid what we deserve, while also silently running our own ships behind the scenes of our public creative profiles.

Time to put a name to what I’ve known for a while: “Just because I can do it, doesn’t mean I have to be the one who does.” I learned that lesson when I was a full time Montessori middle school teacher and now I’m learning it again. I’m proud to say it didn’t take reaching the same level of mental and physical fatigue this go-round before I committed to the leap.

I’ve looked long and hard at what brings me the most joy, what brings financial rewards I feel good about, what costs me emotionally, and what costs me creatively. The decision is clear; there are many skilled professionals who understand how to clarify a brand, how to elegantly upgrade a website, and—this is what’s most important—how to refine an artist’s offerings by distilling them down to manageable, tangible, go-get-‘em resources that a) fulfill the private students, b) fulfill the artist, c) pay for the bills and the retirement, d) contribute to a meaningful “bigger” conversation and, c) embody innovation and originality.

What I do now—and have been working toward since 2009 when I founded Writer@Large—hints at all of this already, but it could benefit from an easily articulated, concise vision. In this New Year, I raise my glass toward that vision. With high hopes, with gratitude (for you, readers!), and with an eye toward a continually creative future: Cheers!

STAY TUNED: Subscribe to this blog newsletter (left sidebar, enter your email) so you don’t miss a bit when the transformation takes place. You’ll never be spammed or over-emailed, and you can opt-out at any time.
              

#pentaculum2016 at Arrowmont School

#pentaculum2016 artistsWhat can I say about collaboration that hasn't already been said? My much-anticipated week at Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts for the annual Pentaculum gathering of artists proved inspiring and productive, to say the least. Having spent 31 out of 36 months on the road to write my first book, I had quite a clear sense for the power of a cross-disciplinary residency. But the "hum" of Pentaculum was notable, in large part because each medium had a coordinator who hand-picked hard-working, devoted artists that needed time to work without interruption. From professional sign painters, to sculptural ceramicists, to visual artists and functional potters, to textile artists, the writers fit right in--our words ended up on clay cups, embroidered into artworks, repeated at mealtimes, applauded during readings, etched into signs, brushed onto archival paper in inks and paints of all colors, and quoted or linked across the Internet. Likewise, other mediums shaped our paragraphs and images, sparked new ideas, inspired a tattoo, and enlivened our worldview as writers.



Curating an event like this meant that everyone--and there were nearly 90 of us--hit the ground running. Very quickly, we soared. Here are some highlights:



Author Mendy Knott, who blogs at Hillpoet, captured a few parallels between the various mediums working across campus, in her vivid descriptions: "...Hear the tapping of strong, tapered fingers shaping metal with tiny tools, squeezing exactly where that link should be closed for the coveted earrings or the silver chain...[The writers] pick through their brains for the perfect image: a peeled apple becomes a full moon; dryer sheets can never soften the blow of bad news. Lights glow on faces concentrated on screens. Fingers pause over notebooks, waiting."



Writer and bookmaker Suzi Banks Baum, who blogs at Rising Forth, summarized the emotion and effort of the week nicely: "We set to work on January 2, a Saturday afternoon and did not stop until the following Friday night. We did three public readings in the library, then a command performance in our living room. And on our last night, after hours of cheering each other on, inspiring and daring each other over delicious meals that concluded with heaping bowls of banana pudding, we staked our dangerous writing out for each other...After writing all week long we were reluctant to leave the haven Arrowmont provided. And mostly, hesitant to abandon the shelter of devotion we had struck up in our hearts, propped by the tent poles of our discipline, waterproofed by shed tears and hunkered at cliff’s edge, daring together."



Poet and Contemplative Arts teacher Miriam Hall, who blogs at Memoir Mind, worked on her memoir. At the end of the week, she offered several honest, instructional posts about the challenges and rewards of her process, which explored ..."That fine edge between wisdom and neurosis, right here in our own stories."
              

Join Me Tonight, Near Fort Bragg

I'm headed to Fayetteville, NC today to deliver a reading and host a conversation on "Where Research Meets Imagination" as a part of the Cumberland County Friends of the Library speaker series. The Fayetteville Observer  published part of an interview with myself and library manager Jane Casto, earlier this week.



From Jane's article: "There is no other community more closely involved with the military experience than Cumberland County. North Carolina author Katey Schultz has written a collection of short fiction, Flashes of War, which uncommonly captures the human experience in war. Schultz is appearing at Headquarters Library on Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. as the featured author for the annual Friends of the Library meeting."



The library is a stone's throw from Fort Bragg, a mythic place made real to me by authors such as Benjamin Busch (Dust to Dust). If I'd thought ahead, I might have been able to find a point of contact on base and arrange to see the inside of an up-armord Humvee. But something has held me back (and it's not just the fact that I'm trying to travel less these days, or keep my trips short when I do travel). Half of my nearly-finished novel takes place in a Humvee, after all. Yet in researching and writing Flashes, I grew so accustomed to NOT physically experiencing what I was writing about, I learned how to lean into my imagination--hard--and now believe in the power of that creative space where research and imagination meet.



I've given this talk off and on over the past three years, but I know a lot more about myself as a writer now than I did on the heels of my book launch in 2013. I'm looking forward to a smart, engaged audience and provocative conversation. Meantime, I've gone on record saying that librarians are our "last great defenders of the printed page" and am very excited to spend the evening with a number of them.
              

Let's Create an Online Community

ICCA and I are hard at work, adding finishing touches to the instructional videos

for our upcoming online class!Ack! That's a little scary--too many little "me's" all in a row! But I'm sharing this screenshot by way of demonstration, to show just how hard and "on top of things" Interlochen College of Creative Arts has been. For the past six months, they've been working with me--via email, phone, in-person video shoots, and Skype conferences--to prepare for the launch of ICCA's first-ever online writing course. I'm honored to be the faculty member selected to do this, and really excited to see how it all comes together in just two short weeks.



Registration is open and there are still spaces left. The course is titled Winter Camp for Writers: Online Flash Fiction.



For my private students who have enrolled in my Weekly Flashes program in the past, you will not be getting ANY repeat content. For new folks out there, trust that I've worked my tail off to make this the best online community I can envision and that ICCA is bringing so much more to the program than I could ever formulate on my own. We'll rock the cyber space for 4 weeks of work together--with an estimated minimum level of engagement set at 2-3 hours per week, but the maxiumum engagement is up to you--as you write and study and read above and beyond, to your heart's content. I'll check in to the site's discussions and posts daily, providing feedback, answering questions, and encouraging conversation. I can't wait, and I hope you'll join me!



Bad timing? Want something else? Here are all ICCA's 2016 offerings (online and in person) for Creative Writing.
              

Artist Statement & Web Writing Services

A few of the fabulous artists I've worked with...In July of 2015, I was invited to be the first Writer-in-Residence in the 100+ year history of Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts and delighted in the process of helping artists in other mediums find words to express what their work and lives are most passionately about. A few months later, I lectured to the Professional Crafts Program at Haywood Community College about the significance of being able to represent your work with words, engage with editors and curators, and present yourself professionally through online presence. Two other universities quickly reached out, inviting me to offer this same presentation next year.



From these experiences, and from 10 years spent interviewing over 70 craft artists for magazine features nationwide (examples), I'm delighted to announce that I've formalized my freelance services into an Artist Statement & Web Writing Package.



Need persuasion? Here are some candid thoughts from professionals in the contemporary craft world:



“I often tell the story of a craftsperson whose work appears consistently in the press and on posters for a craft show or event. The public assumption is that the venue chose that artist’s work to publicize because it was the ‘best’ and therefore that artist was worth seeking out at the show. But truthfully, it was because the artist had good images and was accessible, and whose artist statement or website was ready to go." (Patricia Malarcher, former Editor-in-Chief, Surface Design Journal)



"I will consider artists statements when I am deciding whom to invite for an artist's talk. Can you articulate how your work has progressed, what interests you about it? If writing is not your best skill, hire someone to write your artists statement for you." (Marilyn Zapf, Assistant Director of The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design)



Here's what artist Amy Tavern (view her artist statement) had to say about our experience working together:



"I needed a professional, outside voice and eye to help. I worked with writer Katey Schultz and it was one of the most rewarding processes I have ever been involved in. Katey helped draw my thoughts out of my head and onto paper in a clear, simple, and heartfelt way. I feel my artist statement expresses my interest in grad school and commitment to my work in a way that is true to who I am." (Amy Tavern, metalsmith and installation artist)

Update, clarify, and improve your artist statement and website content so that it truly represents your professional and artistic aspirations. With current, compelling content, an artist statement should lure gallery owners, exhibition or residency jurors, collectors, granting agencies, academic institutions, and everyday art enthusiasts alike. Too often, these documents get neglected or are written in “art speak”—language that is inaccessible and obtuse. Download the flyer and sign up!
              

Solstice Video Greeting

This year, I felt compelled to create a video message reflecting on 2015, announce some of the accomplishments of my private students, and share a few words about what it is I'm trying to accomplish with my vision for Writer @ Large and The Writing Life blog. I had so many words of thanks, I found it hard to keep my message brief. If you feel inclined to watch, just tell yourself I've stopped by for tea and a short visit. :-)



I'll be taking Decemeber 21 through January 12th off for The Writing Life blog, though working most days of the week except holidays in eager anticipation of a writing residency at Arrowmont. Meantime, all my Interlochen College (and other educational) offerings are now open for registration, including the [drums, please!] online flash fiction course!



Cheers, and Happy Solstice to all!





              

#tinymoment #flashfiction Video Prompts

Note to local readers: Course listing for the Great Smokies Writing Program through UNC-Asheville are now online. I'm teaching a Deep Revision workshop in Bursnville. Learn more here.



Here's the latest from my Vine postings, which feature extremely brief video clips played in a loop, accompanied by a prompt for the first line of a flash fiction. Follow me on Vine right here.










              

Writers and Volunteer Work

An author and teacher I greatly admire--Mary Kay Zuravleff--puts it this way: "I don't volunteer my writing services," she's said to me and at craft lectures on the business side of the writing life. "But I do give in other areas of my life." In Zuravleff's case, "give" is putting in mildly, as her volunteer work on the Board of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation has a trickle-down effect that's nearly immeasurable, impacting the lives of young readers nationwide.



Her point is a good one. It's good to volunteer, but we have full right to choose in what fields and what skill set we rely on for these hours. Self-employed artists often struggle to be taken seriously when it comes to invoicing and professional rates. But "volunteering" our time, working on spec, or constantly subjecting our income to fluctuating rates can be damaging when trying to build a business (and a life!). Want to see how absurd it looks when the tables are turned? Here's what happens when you ask non-creative professionals to work for free (the video is really worth watching, I swear!).



All of this has me thinking about how I volunteer, what I might be able to do more of, and what will have a meaningful impact. In recent years, I've given $25-$50 to organizations like Fishtrap, VCCA, and Camp Spring Creek. This year, at Brad's suggestion, we decided to sponsor an 11-year-old boy at our local YMCA's Angel Tree service opportunity. We purchased items on his list (socks and shoes) and few items that weren't on his list (Star Wars toys!). When we dropped off the wrapped gifts yesterday, it felt so good, I walked out thinking that next year I'd like to support an entire family's wish list. I mean...really...I could live without a few gifts and all my stocking stuffers if it meant I had the money to purchase one gift for each person in a family of five, say, in need.



Holidays aren't the only time to volunteer, of course. Throughout the year, as most readers of The Writing Life are aware, I volunteer to maintain trails in the Pisgah National Forest and along North Carolina sections of the Appalachian Trail, by acting as a trail crew member for two organizations: NC High Peaks Trail Association and the Carolina Mountains Club. I've picked up trash, repaired lean-tos, fixed tread, cleared waterbars, fixed confusing trail signs, bucked and hauled fallen trees, weed-whacked blocked trails, and more...and burned calories, breathed fresh air, laughed with friends, mulled over writing ideas, and admired views while I was at it.



Here's to the giving spirit--this month, and beyond!