Describe the most ambitious DIY project you’ve ever taken on.
How hard could it be? People do it all the time…
Doesn’t it always start out with thoughts like these?
Of course my biggest project to date is this one. This whole write a book, illustrate a book, story board and format a book, write a query letter, find an agent, publish a book, get an online presence so you can tell people about your book. Good thing I didn’t have a clue about how much effort or how long it might take.
Ignorance is maybe not bliss, but it does get you started. I think I may be at the point of no return now, but initially, it was good to not know.
Now? Well since I’m this far in, since I’ve faced a fear or two and survived, since I do believe in what I’m doing at its core, since I’m still here. I guess I’ll keep going. Today I listened to a seminar about twenty mistakes writers make in their query letters. I guess that is my next focus.
Writing a query letter.making a decent reel. Sharing
Today I found out that I’ll be staying in California through March. I’ve been unable to plan more than a day or two ahead since the beginning of January, before that everything revolved atound hospital visits, so this is interesting news. I’m still taking it in. I can maybe make a plan of some sort. I wonder what that will look like.
I wonder how much out of character I have become. It’s been a lot of bouncing around. I’ve had some moments on this journey, some days I feel like I’ve lost track of myself. I’ve had to slow down and remember what I want my life to be about because I believe that I get to at least decide that.
I just listened to some talks about query letter writing and dysregulation. I learned how they’ve found that dysregulating neurological affects can be returned to normal by taking some slow conscious breaths. I love that what my books are introducing to children is being backed up by the scientific community. It’s also interesting that I have so many real life moments to see the breathing work for kids, adults and myself.
The query letter is going to be challenging. I know this. It has to be perfectly executed. No typos obviously, but also compelling and on point. If I don’t manage to nail it, all is lost. If the agent is in any way turned off or not interested enough, my manuscript won’t be looked at, at all. It’s a pretty strong pass or fail.
My mock up has been weeks in the making. I’ve never run into a problem with this printer, but my patience is being stretched. I am a low priority, I guess? I have one other relationship where this has come up recently. It won’t be helpful to let that define my day so I won’t, but it’s feels a little discouraging.
Instead, I will look forward. I have ideas and options to consider, I’ m happy to have some planning to do.
If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?
I like that there is an official list of yearly banned words. I just learned this today. No one seems to be policing the ban, so I’m fine for not knowing, (except that I may irritate some people). On the list for each year are words or phases that have become over used according to a group at Duke University. When I read through this years list I could see how saying some things a lot might get on nerves.
For some reason it reminded me of fashion and trends in general. I think we do this. We like, then over-like, then don’t like, then can’t even stand things as they come in and then go out of style. Words, clothes, hair styles, houses, colors, decor, cars, etc. we want it, we don’t want it. It must have something to do with staying current. A fresh new thing that sometimes needs some getting used to, then we love, until we don’t. Then we actually get so tired of hearing or seeing that, we fully reject it.
Who starts these trends? Young people? Cool people. Advertising people? Do I dislike certain trends or words enough to want to erase them permanently?
Here’s the thing. so much is a reinvention of something else. I’ve lived long enough to see things come into style and then go out, only to come back again. I myself am a fan of reinvention, so I won’t vote to get rid of any words or trends permanently. I get tired of words or phrases or styles at times, I can’t bare yellow wall paint for example, but there is always some clever person who will reconfigure and improve upon what is. Besides, did you ever notice, things always disappear before reappearing as something else.
I am not getting on any ‘ban’ wagon for a lot of reasons. I probably don’t believe in banning.
I have some things to work on. I realize I have to put my own swing on this because otherwise I might lose my way. I am thankful for all the help and suggestions and ideas.
At the bottom of my blog s I’m going to put a QR code that when clicked on will ask if you want to open. It will then go directly to my first book on Amazon. Eventually there will be one for Beatrix as well. If anyone knows anyone who would enjoy a colorful picture book about breathing and feeling, it’s easy to find with the code.
I figure whatever I can learn on my first book, will make my second and third books better. My forth and fifth will be amazing. I have some ideas of what to also try next.
Blogging has been fun. I enjoy the WordPress community. I like writing. It’s interesting to look back and see my progress. I think I’ll be glad I recorded what I’m doing like this. It’s been a whole journey and it’s far from over.
I’m not sure I have good advice for anyone. I’d probably just say don’t worry, life is long. You are going to make some good choices and some bad choices. You can’t control most things anyway. Do your best, don’t be so hard on yourself, and don’t listen to people’s opinions. Follow good examples. Eat better. Smile. Enjoy being young. You are good just the way you are, stop trying to change to be more like you think people want you to be. It just distracts you from the fun you’d be having being yourself.
In case you are wondering, life never got boring, you did become happily married, the church people didn’t know what they were talking about, your parents were right about a few things, and in the end, you ARE an artist (so stop trying to be something else). Also you are smart and you hang out with people who don’t treat like you aren’t
Relax, it’s all going to be ok, (when if feels like it’s not, just wait a little while).
Time to attach my phone to the tripod and work on some illustrations.
I have a little window of time. A space. Some art supplies. A tripod.
It’s a new day.
Time to give it another go.
Some days this feels like I’m not moving forward
The mock up has taken weeks and still isn’t printed. Another Friday with another reason why it’s not. The last email from them was confusing until I realized they didn’t read the instructions I sent off weeks ago. They are closed on the weekend.
Social media has me wondering. After several ‘Learn more’ clicks, I’m convinced that everyone just wants my email address and to sell me something that promises things it can’t possibly deliver. Want to lose weight? I need to eat more food?! For only $37 or $97 or $199 I can learn how to grow my business, write a blog, publish a book, sell my art, tone my muscles, become an affiliate marketer. It’s easy! So easy that I’m stupid not to be doing it. Only a few cicks and I can make thousands while I sleep, lose weight and tone up with a 12 minute workout once a week. One woman just said Im not eating enough carbs, vegetables don’t count, what I need is to eat bagels or muffins along with more fat in order to gain muscle. Another said if I’m craving sugar, it’s because I need to eat more sugar. Uh. My deep dive into trying to learn about this, is leaving me conflicted. And confused. And distracted. Does anyone wonder if any of this is factual? I guess no one cares about that.
What do they care about? I can’t tell. I don’t even know what I don’t know. My BS meter is getting a work out anyway.
I wrote Beatrix Betterfly after hearing about teens and preteens getting caught up in the filtered frenzy of trying to measure themselves against people they saw online. Many were discovering the magic of looking better than real and everyone else was buying it. This got worse during Covid because actual interactions were few and far between. How can anyone compare to a filtered well lit, carefully posed version of someone they see for five seconds online? Lots of kids were comparing their real faces with perfected almost cartoon versions of online faces. Eyelashes alone were out of control.
I wonder if anything on the internet is what it appears to be. There must be a few things. I need to sidestep this whole subject because I’m losing time worrying, when what I ought to be doing is brainstorming a new way, a new approach. Im not the first person to be deterred by the internet. Do I want to let it make me quit?
Everyone I’ve been hanging with lately. I’m missing a few who are out of town but I’ll catch up with them soon. It’s what has made these last few months and this trip so wonderful. I LOVE my people!
Peace Kit 