Am I freak?
I do what I do. I write.
I go into the cave write, procrastinate, write, procrastinate (Yes I'm looking at you Pinterest and all your distracting pretty pics!)
When I step out of my cave I am dishevelled, fragile. I squint at the sunlight and wonder "What day is it?"
I usually play some form of catch up in reading blog posts, Facebook network, check out Twitter in more depth. What usually follows is me stumbling across a 2 day old story of some HUGE issue that has gone down in the Indie world. I read all the 97 outraged comments to a post and slowly process my own confusion and outrage.
Oh no they D'nt!!
I will read another article on Traditional v's Indie debate, or something on profits, royalties, rights, agents. By the end of all my brain hurts and I feel like I really don't know anything. There is one thing for certain, I learn something everyday it's one of the joys of my craft is the constant evolving. It's exciting, scary...AMAZING!
Then I look around and my mind is pounded with so much information, Trolls, Keyboard Warriors, Cyber Bullies they sound like characters in a a futuristic action novel set in the desert. When you have the online world at your finger tips much like a Bavarian Sara-Lee cheesecake, it needs to be devoured in moderation. One of the advice I give people who want to be an Indie writer is:
"Do your research but don't be overwhelmed by it."
You want to be in the know but as soon as it starts affecting your creativity, shut it down and take a break, have a piece of cheesecake! (Just one!...O.K maybe two)
The thing of it is I am interested in all these things, I really am and on some levels it's really vital to know what is going down in the community...But here's my take!
I don't know if it's just me? If it's just a C.J thing but I honestly don't care!
And when I say I don't care I mean, I really don't get emotionally invested in the politics. If a well known publisher Author slams Indies or that certain blog reviewers refuse to review Indie Books. All I care about is being able to reach an audience in my own right, something I would not have been able to believe could be possible?
And guess what Indies are here to stay!
I made a conscious decision a while ago of not tapping into all the negative energy that is focused on the 'haters'. I think it is the only way to survive in this business. By all means process information but filter it so it doesn't alter your creativity. The reality is as writers we are plagued by our own demons, and believe me we are our own worst critics. We often pain strikingly torture ourselves on some days and it's because we are passionate and ultimately striving to make our stories the best they can be. (Or we should be anyway) In the scheme of things it matters little what is happening out there. The many-many hours spent in the solitary of the writing cave are happening because I choose to, I love what I do, but I will damned if I am going to let anyone else effect me because at the end of the day opinions vary, I mean not everyone likes Bavarian Cheesecake (I know right?)
Now don't get me wrong I am not experiencing any of the things I have mentioned, I have been very fortunate that I have had lovely, warm and fuzzy dealings but I know the chances of that happening for the rest of my days is unlikely and I have to be open to the fact. How often do we read a trashy magazine and openly scathe about hating a dress Kate Hudson might be wearing. (Sorry Kate just an example) but what happens next? We turn the page and give it little thought, we go to bed that night and sleep peacefully not even remembering that God awful outfit.
That is much like our work it's often not personal, so we shouldn't take it personally, it's just an opinion and opinions vary (That's life)
So don't stress about who said what to who, whose selling, what people think of what you do, just get on with it. Why waste energy on anything but being fabulous and easting cheesecake??
Do what you do because you love it!
And if all else fails just adopt this attitude.
"So what! Who cares?"
Love it!
So am I freak for not tapping into the hysteria? How do you deal with information overload?
C.J xo
I go into the cave write, procrastinate, write, procrastinate (Yes I'm looking at you Pinterest and all your distracting pretty pics!)
When I step out of my cave I am dishevelled, fragile. I squint at the sunlight and wonder "What day is it?"
I usually play some form of catch up in reading blog posts, Facebook network, check out Twitter in more depth. What usually follows is me stumbling across a 2 day old story of some HUGE issue that has gone down in the Indie world. I read all the 97 outraged comments to a post and slowly process my own confusion and outrage.
Oh no they D'nt!!
I will read another article on Traditional v's Indie debate, or something on profits, royalties, rights, agents. By the end of all my brain hurts and I feel like I really don't know anything. There is one thing for certain, I learn something everyday it's one of the joys of my craft is the constant evolving. It's exciting, scary...AMAZING!
Then I look around and my mind is pounded with so much information, Trolls, Keyboard Warriors, Cyber Bullies they sound like characters in a a futuristic action novel set in the desert. When you have the online world at your finger tips much like a Bavarian Sara-Lee cheesecake, it needs to be devoured in moderation. One of the advice I give people who want to be an Indie writer is:
"Do your research but don't be overwhelmed by it."
You want to be in the know but as soon as it starts affecting your creativity, shut it down and take a break, have a piece of cheesecake! (Just one!...O.K maybe two)
The thing of it is I am interested in all these things, I really am and on some levels it's really vital to know what is going down in the community...But here's my take!
I don't know if it's just me? If it's just a C.J thing but I honestly don't care!
And when I say I don't care I mean, I really don't get emotionally invested in the politics. If a well known publisher Author slams Indies or that certain blog reviewers refuse to review Indie Books. All I care about is being able to reach an audience in my own right, something I would not have been able to believe could be possible?
And guess what Indies are here to stay!
I made a conscious decision a while ago of not tapping into all the negative energy that is focused on the 'haters'. I think it is the only way to survive in this business. By all means process information but filter it so it doesn't alter your creativity. The reality is as writers we are plagued by our own demons, and believe me we are our own worst critics. We often pain strikingly torture ourselves on some days and it's because we are passionate and ultimately striving to make our stories the best they can be. (Or we should be anyway) In the scheme of things it matters little what is happening out there. The many-many hours spent in the solitary of the writing cave are happening because I choose to, I love what I do, but I will damned if I am going to let anyone else effect me because at the end of the day opinions vary, I mean not everyone likes Bavarian Cheesecake (I know right?)
Now don't get me wrong I am not experiencing any of the things I have mentioned, I have been very fortunate that I have had lovely, warm and fuzzy dealings but I know the chances of that happening for the rest of my days is unlikely and I have to be open to the fact. How often do we read a trashy magazine and openly scathe about hating a dress Kate Hudson might be wearing. (Sorry Kate just an example) but what happens next? We turn the page and give it little thought, we go to bed that night and sleep peacefully not even remembering that God awful outfit.
That is much like our work it's often not personal, so we shouldn't take it personally, it's just an opinion and opinions vary (That's life)
So don't stress about who said what to who, whose selling, what people think of what you do, just get on with it. Why waste energy on anything but being fabulous and easting cheesecake??
Do what you do because you love it!
And if all else fails just adopt this attitude.
"So what! Who cares?"
Love it!
So am I freak for not tapping into the hysteria? How do you deal with information overload?
C.J xo
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