Putting the Pieces Back Together

How do I keep them steady?

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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. 

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Breathe the Creativity In

I've been heads down for months. I finished a big project and that took a huge weight off my shoulders. So huge in fact that I was able to catch the mother of head colds and be miserable for the first warm weekend of the year. 

Nothing like getting fresh air and exercise when tired and having a stuffy nose. I realize I had probably been burning my candle at both ends and possibly in the middle, too.

The days of not doing much because of my illness were difficult, but also necessary. I had been pushing myself to the edge, and had not allowed myself a break in my determination to finish a creative project. I finished self-edits on my first full length manuscript that I'm going to self-publish in April. *Sigh of relief.*

I hadn’t taken a break. So, a break was forced on me in the form of an illness. A lesson learned because I’d rather have been healthy enough to celebrate properly after accomplishing my goal. My creative well was dried up.

Instead of being scared, I'll let it rest and refill the well. After a break, I can start on something new and fresh. I hope I can start on something new after. That's always a big fear. Did I use up all my creative mojo? Will I be able to produce something as fun and fantastic again?

The answer is yes. After several naps, some wine or chocolate (or both if you are into that), and some mindless play. It will come back.

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