One of the most frustrating things about returning from a writing conference is that it doesn’t seem to take long before the life we knew before we left seeps – or charges – back in. Two days at the Annual NJ SCBWI Conference were exciting, absorbing and brimming with promise for my future as a writer and illustrator. This had been preceded by hours and days of prep – creating a new illustration for my submitted MS, tighter editing, printing out first pages, readying a speed pitch and so on.
I came home exhausted but totally psyched. Unfortunately I was also hit the next day with a blistering sinus/migraine, but still I forged on and edited that story in the evening, cutting out another 90 words. The next day I wrote thank you’ s to the wonderful agent and editors who had critiqued my work and I began sketching for my dummy. The following day, still in a heat wave of nearly 100 degrees and shifting barometric pressure, I got hit by another crippling sinus/migraine headache. And of course, on Monday, I’d had the usual demanding pile of work, which pays my bills, on my desk to tackle.
Point is, even for a two day conference, the afterglow doesn’t last long before the distractions of life force their way back onto our laps demanding to be fed. How not to lose that momentum? I made a new commitment. I already journal every day and miss with rare exception. However, my new commitment to my future as a children’s book writer and illustrator is to spend a minimum of 10 minutes a day doing something to further my children’s book career.
On weekends, I may spend hours working on a manuscript or sketches, and sometimes in the evening as well when I’m able. However, even on those days when I have almost no energy left, I will do something, even if only for 10 minutes. I don’t want the insights and recommendations of the agent I met and the editors I sat with to fall through the cracks. To keep them alive, I need to touch their encouragement every day, even if only briefly, until I make the next block of time. A few sketches, jotting down ideas, a bit more editing of a manuscript … whatever.
The distractions of life are never going away – that IS life. But only we, as writers and illustrators, can put them off our laps and tell them to amuse themselves for a little while – we have something very important to tend to – our futures.
It is SO hard to keep life out of your creative zone, that is my biggest problem. Stuff (often other people’s stuff that touches on my life) drains me and I when I sit down to create it seems like there’s nothing there:(
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I get up earlier each day to allow myself to journal. I know this isn’t possible for everyone, but it’s a help. As creative people, we can’t afford to lose ourselves, and it is easy. Making time for ourselves? Not so easy. Be persistent! :o)
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you are so right to make the time for yet another one of your creative sides (how many sides can a person have? plenty, we are round, not square!). it’s a discipline, like physical exercise. it’s good for our productivity and our mental health. keep up the good work. nice to see the stars aligning in your favor, the universe smiling down on you, acknowledging all your talents and hard work.
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Thank you … who have always been there supporting me. Means so much.
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What a good idea Jeanne. 10 minutes to touch base and remember the wonderful feedback and promise it brings. Happy writing!
Cathy 🙂
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I so agree with you. I feel the same way, all pumped up before and during and then completely drained and exhausted after. It’s like if you don’t start workign right away, that exhaustion sets in and then it’s so hard to get started again.
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