I continue to do morning pages almost every day. Weekly artist dates, too, but they have been at Home Depot and Lowe's and scouring home design magazines and websites! It's been almost three months since I've been inside the house I'm buying and it's still not mine, but I believe everything is now in order and I should close within the next week. Nevertheless, I'm not counting on anything until I have keys in hand! The close date has been extended four times already.
I will be pouring all my creativity into my new home in July. I'm NOT going to feel guilty that my writing has fallen by the wayside--for everything there is a season, and when the house is move-in ready the writing season will come round again. Or perhaps I'll just be writing, for a while, about my efforts to make this house my home--just to keep my hand in.
I am stepping into the shoes of homeowner-ship as a direct result of my work in The Artist's Way. It was such a worthwhile journey that I think I may offer it through Platform 9-3/4 on an annual basis starting every January. In the meantime, except for your response to this post, the blog will be in hiatus for the next six months. I'll send an email round in late December, and if you enjoyed the journey and have friends you think would also enjoy a group approach to The Artist's Way, perhaps you will forward the information. Perhaps you'll even join us again! There is something to be said for group accountability.
Thanks once again for being such an important part of my life for many months. I look forward to keeping up with you!
Fondly,
Barbara Jean Hicks
Congratulations on your new home. This journey has been a blessing and a gift to me as well. Enjoy your well-deserved break!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jen!
DeleteCongrats Barb! Although it'll be a week until it's a done deal, still cause for celebration. It's also great to hear that you got to this great place because of The Artist Way!!! Good luck with everything coming up!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure I'd like to jump back on the TAW bandwagon. It was invaluable.
Cheers, for now!
Linda
I already have a new person up for TAW in January. I'll give everyone a shout-out in December to see if anyone's up for a repeat then.
DeleteYay, Barb! This is exciting news. Enjoy every moment of getting settled -- it's just another way to celebrate your creative gifts.
ReplyDeleteEven though I missed a lot of morning pages and artist dates, TAW gave me back my writing life. I was stuck, and now I no longer am. It made me see again that many good things are possible ... and take action on that belief. I am grateful for that and am still working toward a routine of morning pages. I still believe that those MP3s are a key that opens even more doors to possibility.
Love to all. Keep creating!
Stephanie, I'm so thrilled TAW got you "unstuck." And I agree--morning papers for me are all about recognizing possibilities.So empowering!
DeleteGreat news Barb! Hoping those keys are in your hand pronto soon. What a great way to manifest TAW.
ReplyDeleteI followed Jennifer's suggestion and acquired a copy of
The VEin of Gold, a companion book to TAW, but must admit
being in a group makes me more accountable and dedicated,
so a renewal in the new year is an intriguing idea Barb.
My artist totem inspired another writer to write quite
the article in our local paper, equating my cat to a goddess, which just seems to endorse the TAW mantra to follow your muse.
http://www.topangamessenger.com/story_detail.php?ArticleID=5370
creatively yours,
topangamaria
Great article, Maria--thanks for sharing it! Is the one the writer talks about actually the same cat--eight feet tall?! Or is it like the one you found in a smaller version?
Delete"It seemed to be 8 feet tall" is what she wrote. Another writer friend wanted to
Deleteknow too, if Cat really was 8 feet. NO.
About 4 feet tall. But, cat's presence makes
it stand out like it were taller, and noticed even when part of a gang of interesting objects in front of the now defunct antique shop. It might be one of a kind. Anyway, unusual. None of us have had success finding background history. Now sitting on top of the stone well at the bottom of our stairs,is like Cat's on a regal throne, and yet Cat blends in almost au natural. It's wacky.
I went to a scbwi writer retreat at Temecula in May and got the most complimentary and helpful critique for a PB ms.ever from Maria Mudugno, VP of Harpercollins. The Blue SKy press editor who attended that same retreat is now considering the same PB ms. TAW helped me apply their suggestions to improve
the story another notch. And the retreat was an artist date for myself. The endless quest to keep improving craft!
Such great news, Barbara! Pouring your creative energy into your home for a while makes perfect sense. I will be doing the same soon, as we close on our home in mid- to late August. I am hoping to carve out a spot for myself at the new house to do creative things and to just escape the testosterone. Wish me luck!
ReplyDeleteOffering facilitation/guidance through The Artist's Way on an annual basis makes such sense. I will certainly talk it up among friends and acquaintances so I look forward to your December-ish email.
Happy summer and VERY happy home making,
k
So nice to reconnect here with you all.
DeleteHooray for you Barb. Not only on the new house, but on the way your personal goal of TAWing and the creation of Platform 9-3/4 helped you blossom into this new place as well as so many of the rest of us. Hug yourself hard with additional back pats. Wish I could do that in person. In fact, perhaps we should make that happen.
I have had a productive past three months. Got my artist's studio i.e. DESK set up in my favorite spot. Think I sent the BEFORE. Need to send the AFTER- (hope I still have your email address, Barb.)
I love the space and being there is like a soft massage. My goal was MPs two x per week plus writing 2 x per week. I did quite well till the past three weeks when ..... TA DA DA DAAAA ..... I heard from an agent that she likes the PB ms I sent. Was I a-floating! But she wants more as they hire an author vs buying a book, so that was a kick in the behind to dust off some old stuff and get going hard. She has received the new and tells me to be patient for a month. Might not go anywhere but it was just so nice to receive this feedback. She even likened my ms to one of my favorites that won an award this past year.
So I feel grateful and blessed. An annual TAW journey might be a wonderful way to ignite or re-ignite sparks. Who knows, what it might lead to? Thanks for doing this six month check-in, Barb. Enjoy Enjoy Enjoy the fun a new to you house. So good to hear from so many.
Margie
Congrats on your new house too, Kay! Even though I'm still not in possession, I've been poring over home magazines and wandering the aisles of big box home stores--so fun! Can't wait to get in there and get to work--
DeleteMargie--so exciting! I am just so, so pleased about your agent news--please keep me posted! And yes, let's do the back pats in person. Maybe since you live so near you will come to my house warming--when I'm actually in the house after renovations? I'd love that!
DeleteWow! You-all have had some great experiences.
ReplyDeleteRe: Painting: I'm doing OK and really felt immersed when a took an Oil Painting Workshop with Don Sahli who was an apprentice to a major Russian Impressionist. I just now framed the work he didn't touch.
BUT! I just read the recent SCBWI periodical and feel absolutely lost with all the new terms associated with the electronic social media. I knew what a BLOG is, I kinda know what a Tweet is, am actually on Facebook, but I only post in response to others, apps? and now there are 'memes'! I certainly need a good glossary. Have been stashing computer-related things in a folder, but now I feel most like painting and only writing when (or if) I look forward to meeting with a critique group.
IPAD? Well, I do have friends that have them, BUT! could I even think of affording one?
SO ... TAW has helped me realize my preferred focus: painting, which was my purpose in doing TAW this time. However, it's hard to really set aside the 14 year focus on writing for children which I started after retiring from city planning. I think of the time (and money) spent on writing, revising (which I really do enjoy), taking the Institute of Children's Literature course, critique group preparation and attendance, serving as my region's Critique Group Coordinator for about five years, and attending conferences. I have only a few days to meet a deadline for submission by one of the editors who spoke at the last SCBWI Regional Conference I attended. I've reached p. 22 of the current revision and may not need much more. But, will I do it?
My only feeling of success re: writing is that I learned I can key in -- as I think of the words -- about 1,000 words an hour. I did that last November for NaNoWriMo. I used that story for the Spring Conference(which covered about the last 36 years of my life) after converting it to a son's focus. It's written via letters to and from Mom, with occasional ones to an older sister. Problem: will Mom decide life really is worth living after the son was killed at age 9? and will the sister ever deal with her anger problem?
So, the story may be too close to home. However, the last time I worked on the story, I felt that I was spending time with my son.
Too much stuff here? Well, I feel somewhat free to share with you since our creative lives are our lives.
Thanks for the time and patience.
Pam Wilkinson
Thanks for the newsy and thoughtful update, Pam. I'm glad to hear you are moving forward with your painting. You don't have to give up on writing even if your main focus changes to painting--as you seem to realize. As far as social media goes--I know writers who seem to have abandoned any writing BUT blogs and Facebook--count me as one at the moment--but it's keeping my hand in and I will get back to children's writing post-renovations, I'm very sure. For one thing, I'm teaching a Highlights workshop in September on "Writing for Little Eyes and Little Ears"! That will require some writing of my own in my favorite genre--picture books. On the other hand, I have no desire to tweet and I have no idea what a "meme" is. I don't even think I want to know!
ReplyDeleteI've been intimidated by art done on computer, thinking that is the only way art directors are allowing any more in illustration but I went to a lecture by Mark Siegel, editor of First SEcond books, which is all graphic novels, and he is also author and illustrator and he has a book coming out this fall, Sailor TWain and much of the illustration is done in chalk, classic, large scale size. And much of the art he uses in other books is classic art, like oil paintings. And even his other very successful GN that he did in 2006, To Dance was done in ink and water color. I found that liberating to learn.
ReplyDeleteCreate in the medium you enjoy creating in. Hope you find that liberating as well.
topangamaria