Putting the Pieces Back Together

How do I keep them steady?

image from depositphotos.com

The creative spark has been difficult to reach lately. The lack of even the tiniest ideas really had me down. How would I be able to reach my creative goals in such a state? Was I blocked?

Over the weekend I caught up on some tasks that I'd neglected because I had been so busy the past few months getting my first novel released. It took lots of time, energy and creativity – not to mention thinking power. I had to turn into a publisher and a business person and that left me with little umph for artistic writing or expression. I realized I had created some bad habits in my exuberance to get my book out into the world. It was a birthing process and having never done it – I had a lot to learn. For a first release, I experienced a certain amount of neurotic behavior which is probably necessary for a lot of artistic endeavors. We have to expose our art to the great unknown or literally pushed them out of the nest. I had stopped all new writing.

Zero.

Not one word that wasn't edits or business related.

I had no room for short personal journal entries.

I had also stopped any form of creative expression, art journaling, crafting, what have you.

I had stopped recording my accomplishments. Until they were written down, it mostly felt like my wheels were spinning in a soupy lake of mud - no traction available and every turn a mistake.

No wonder my ideas were hiding. They didn't want to get attacked if they made a peep at me.

Peep.

Bamb!

Eep eep eep ….

The pathetic cries of my ideas limping in complete and total rejection to the creative writing ER. They wanted to be nursed back to health with jello and cable TV.

Wow … wait …

What just happened? Back to what I was saying.

I wrote down accomplishments, even the minor ones, both personal, professional, day job, night job, whatever, and realized that by ignoring my steps forward I felt like the steps toward my goals were far too many.

My ideas will recover and so will I.

I just started writing and they came out from hiding. Sometimes, forcing myself to do something is all I need to get motivated.

I need to make good habits and keep setting goals. I'm a writer so I'll write them down and see all the progress I've made for the next go around – Book #2.

May Showers Bring A Book Signing Event Give-a-way!

How is it the middle of May already? This year is flying by. I've been busy getting ready for my committed book signing events this year and it's been difficult to fit in some creativity time among all the travel plans and administrative tasks that seem to continually pop up. 

I'm very excited about the events I'm attending this year. I have one coming up on July 9th in East Peoria, IL. Writers on the River is going to be a blast. There is a great line up of authors and lots of fun to be had over the weekend.

I've been given two additional general admission tickets and created a fun Rafflecopter for a chance to win. I tried to make it fun with additional chances to win by making some trivia questions about some of my characters and worlds (HINT: The answers are all on my website, so it's really easy.) 

My other two events are Unmask the Romance Authors in Phoenixville, PA and Arch City Authors in Columbus, OH which are both in October. October is already a busy personal month for me so now it's going to be even busier! 

I'll have my debut novel Circle of Lies available at all of my signing events. I'm finishing up final edits as fast as my toddler is allowing me and started working on the second book in the series, Circle of Fantasies which I hope to have out this summer. 

Among all the planning activity I have to remind myself that it's okay to take a breather and get back into a creative frame of mind. 

Photo from depositphotos.com

April 19 2016 Romance Weekly

#LoveChatWrite

Welcome back for Romance Weekly. 

The hop is a short one this week. Make sure to check out Leslie Hachtel’s post when you are done here.

I came up with this week’s topic from reading The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler.

Over the years of writing stories, I, like many writers, hear about the hero's or heroine's journey. As a part of the journey the main character runs into a Threshold Guardian that puts roadblocks or obstacles in their path to prevent forward movement. What Threshold Guardians have you, as an author, experienced in your hero's/heroine's journey to being an author?

I think there are several Threshold Guardians that authors run into at various points in their lives and careers. When I came up with this topic I was thinking about recent events that had been pushing me further and further behind on a self-editing project I desperately wanted to finish. Those events were a combination of what many of us experience with hectic jobs and family life, but also series of mild (and moderate) illness that occurred over several months.

I blame my toddler for these illness because if the todd came home sick I was guaranteed to get sick in a few days as well. (Your nodding your head if you’re a parent to little ones.) Unfortunately, as far as schedules went, the days I got sick were those dedicated to my writing and I was too miserable and tired to think clearly, let alone fix a broken plot and re-write the ending of a manuscript I had wanted to get off to an editor months before these said illnesses.

Funny as well (at least now that I’m not sick – I just knocked on some wood to make sure I don’t get sick this week) these illnesses also came with the change in season and seemed to last from October until April. So my Threshold Guardian was realllllyyyyy guarding the gate and I had a hell of a time kicking his butt to the curb. It’s a true test of an author to find the energy to push forward when energy is at an all time low. Throw holidays on top of this and it was like my writing and editing momentum came to a screeching halt.

I did make it passed this Threshold Guardian after realizing rest was necessary, a trip to the doctor for much needed medications, and that this too shall pass (eventually). I have since finished that manuscript and have moved onto the next one. I’m not saying I won’t be crabby the next time I catch a toddler bug (I’m past due), but at least I know this isn’t going to stop me from reaching my goal. Delays I can deal with (most of the time).

Thanks for stopping by. Hop on over to Jenna Da Sie’s post to find out what she’s experienced in her writer’s journey.

See you next week!