Hello friend, 👋🏾
I’ve been taking a break from actual writing and plotting to catch up on some admin tasks for the past couple of weeks. I’ve also been dealing with insomnia, which plagues me periodically and makes it really difficult to be creative, and honestly to function at normal levels at all.
But as the Nap Ministry reiterates, rest is revolutionary, and I’m enjoying a bit of rest within my productivity. I’m always afraid that the inertia which sets in when I stop my fevered pace of writing means my break will extend into infinity. However, this is the first time I haven’t been under contract, and as such under deadline, in years. And I’d actually planned to take the first part of this year easy. Of course, it’s nearly July…
In the traditional publishing industry, you never know when your last contract will be your very last, and if you want the income flowing in, it behooves you to hustle to get another book sold. But until my current proposal sells, there is a bit less guilt about practicing some self care and giving myself a break.
Like many creative people I know, I’m very hard on myself. I’m highly disciplined, (#8 in Strengthfinders) and so when I set a structure or a schedule—write four days a week at 8am—not keeping it chafes.
However, the soft human animal needs its rest. I want to give my body rest, especially since sleep has been elusive and insufficient of late. Ultimately, I know a break will only aid my creativity, ease the creeping tendrils of burnout that were tickling my edges, and yield benefits I can’t even imagine.
Do you feel guilty when you actually have the time set aside to write and aren’t doing it? I’ve found that sometimes it’s procrastination and sometimes it’s a message that you need a rest, or to fill the well and collect inspiration. Either way, let’s be gentle and kind to ourselves. The guilt doesn’t help us become the people who will do our best work, so why not at least try to release it?
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I mentioned in a previous post that I’m not inputting as much as usual. My rest has included avoiding my tendency towards over consumption of the internet, but I did realize that I have many years of gathered input that most of you have never seen. So I’ll be mining the archives for gems that I forgot I’d collected, but I still find inspiring and helpful, along with the new things that come across my path.
📝 “Stand against this feeling”
This post from Chuck Wendig is a lovely treatise on what Joanna Penn calls “comparisonitis”. I suffer from this ailment as well. For instance, while I purchased Laini Taylor’s Strange the Dreamer series, I have not allowed myself to read it in the seven years since it came out because I know when I read her work it makes me want to stop writing. I will never write that well or that beautifully, so I might as well just stop.
A more charitable rationale is that I’m saving it until I really need it. Let’s call it inspiration in a glass box—break when necessary. (And honestly, that time might be now). But certain authors trigger my imposter syndrome pretty hard, and I adore Laini Taylor, but she makes me feel inferior.
If you relate, then listen to Wendig:
“…suddenly comes this moment where you catch a glimpse of another human being doing that same creative thing you do. And they’re doing it at such a level, you experience a moment of awe that punctuates the moment before you tumble into darkness….
You tumble face-first into the revelation of your own inadequacy, your grotesque and unconquerable imperfection, your worst failures …
Stand against this feeling.
Remind yourself that you are you and they aren’t.
…You will always look in the broken mirror of foul water and see a version of you that fails in comparison to others…
I manage to write anyway, even in the face of knowing I will never reach the lofty levels of those I respect the most. Because I imagine there is someone out there feeling just as inadequate when they read my words, and maybe that’s just part of the circle of life.
📝 Hearing Colors and Dancing to Words
As a writer who cannot actually write while music is playing, but am nonetheless heavily inspired by music, I love that music artists are also inspired by books. This story, “Shaper of Change: Celebrating Octavia Butler Through Sound” from KEXP, highlights musicians paying tribute to the iconic sci-fi author, and the worlds she created, with their work.
Part of the journey of Black liberation is envisioning worlds where Black freedom is not solely a possibility but a reality. Sci-fi invites us to imagine what it looks and feels like. But music allows us to synchronize to the frequency of freedom.
…Music and writing inspire us to summon new worlds into being and know that we each can be a vessel to usher in new spaces for us to exist in.
Another great song inspired by Butler is “OCTAVIA” by Jamila Woods. I actually shout out the album it’s on in the acknowledgements of Requiem of Silence as being very necessary to my completing that novel. Music inspiring books inspiring music again is another loop in the concentric circle of life.
💡Announcing the Ink & Magic Writing Retreat!
Me and my two best writer friends, the amazing authors Cerece Rennie Murphy (the unstoppable force who created Virtuouscon) and Ines Johnson (the immovable object behind The Breakdown), are hosting an in-person writing retreat! It will be held November 1-3, 2024 outside of Baltimore, MD.
I am ridiculously excited about this—creating an event where writers can come together and learn, write, and create community has been an item on my list for ages.
Learn more about the retreat here and feel free to contact me with questions!
📣 My course, Imaginary Worldbuilding: Creating Fictional Worlds for Writers is on sale!
It’s currently 20% off—I extended the sale until the end of the month—so if you’ve been thinking of signing up, don’t wait!
📣 InkersCon is coming!
Last year I spoke in-person at InkersCon, a really fantastic conference primarily for indie authors. I had a great time and learned a lot. Their digital conference is top-notch as well and you can attend from the comfort of your home without braving the Texas heat.
Save $50 on registration if you sign up with my link & code: IMAGINARY24. You’ll get 25 motivating and actionable classes for authors, led by industry professionals who will share their best tips and tricks for crafting compelling books, improving your business, finding your readers, and more. There are lots of interactive live Zoom events including author roundtables, Q&As with bestselling authors, speed networking, virtual happy hour, and more. As well as several opportunities each week for co-working writing sprints so that you can focus on getting large chunks of writing done.
Use the code IMAGINARY24 to get your discount!!
The whole culture is telling you to hurry, while the art tells you to take your time.
Always listen to the art.
🎙️ My Imaginary Friends: Episode 242 - Creating a Character’s Personality
The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a behind the scenes look at the journey of a working author navigating traditional and self-publishing, where I share insights on the writing life, creativity, inspiration, and this week’s best thing.
Watch on YouTube | Listen to the podcast
Mentioned:
Ink & Magic Writing Retreat: https://inkandmagicretreat.com/
Daughter of the Merciful Deep is out! https://books2read.com/dotmd
Imaginarium Book Festival – https://www.imaginariumbookfestival.com/
The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes and Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes – https://amzn.to/3yTVk91 | https://bookshop.org/a/582/9780615908113
Enneagram relationships: https://www.crystalknows.com/enneagram/types
Creating Character Arcs by K.M. Weiland – https://amzn.to/3ml97eR
✨Ink & Magic podcast: Episode 30 - Reader Love & Marketing with Jessica Cage
Check out Jessica’s bestselling book, I Accidentally Summoned a Demon Boyfriend.
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Thank you for sharing the Chuck Wendig article! It was just what I needed to hear. :)