In This Issue:
- Happy New Year!
- Local press release
- Two opportunities for writers
- Conquering Resistance
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I hope your new year is off to a great start! Unfortunately, here in the Chicago area we're getting socked with winter's one-two punch: snow followed by frigid temperatures. Schools were closed Monday due to snow and will be closed again Wednesday and Thursday due to record cold subzero temps.
Luckily for me, I got a quick trip in earlier this month to visit family in the Las Vegas area, where it was considerably warmer. I don't gamble, but we did visit the Bellagio hotel Conservatory and Botanical Garden, which was already set up to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Pig that begins next month.
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In December 2018, the College of DuPage sent out a press release in which another instructor and I were highlighted for practicing what we teach, in other words, being published authors as well as writing instructors. Several local papers picked up the story. If you missed it, you can read it online on the College's website.
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Two opportunities for writers
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Two great writing conferences will be held in Naperville, IL this year. I plan to attend both and invite you to join me. Conferences like these can be vital to a writing career and to seeing yourself as a "professional," which I discuss below under Overcoming Resistance.
1. For novelists of all genres: Windy City RWA is hosting “Writing a Novel They Can’t Put Down” February 22-23, 2019, presented by bestselling novelist James Scott Bell, author of Plot & Structure and other outstanding writing books. The Saturday session will consist of an intensive 8-hour master class on the topic. Friday evening, he’ll give a pre-class talk on Indie Publishing. Last I heard, there were only a few spots left. Registration is $135.00 until February 9, 2019 but the event may sell out before then. For more information, or to register, see this page. Note: even though this is sponsored by the Windy City Romance Writers of America, the presentation applies to writers in all genres. Bell himself writes thrillers. Read more about him on his website.
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2. For writers and illustrators of works for children: The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) will present the 2019 Wild, Wild Midwest conference, "Let's Go to the Fair!" May 3-5 at the Chicago Marriott Naperville, Illinois.
The event features:
- Fabulous keynote presenters
- A choice of seven intensives
- More than 50 breakout sessions
- Manuscript critiques and portfolio reviews by agents, editors, and other faculty members.
This conference is offered only every three years, so if you're serious about writing or illustrating books for children and teens, I hope you'll consider joining me. I've attended the last two Wild, Wild Midwest Conferences and found them well worth the investment. I've never been to the national SCBWI conventions held in New York and California, but I've heard this is the next best thing, and much less expensive!
Note: workshop and critique slots fill quickly. You need not be an SCBWI Member to attend, but non-member registration doesn't open until February 9. Registration for SCBWI members opens this Saturday, February 2, at noon. Also, manuscript critiques and other extras are ONLY available to SCBWI members. Critiques and other extras must be purchased when you register. Use the following links for all the details: Main site, General info, Faculty, Session descriptions, and Intensives and extras. Hope to see you at the fair!
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In the December issue of this Creativity Newsletter, I talked about fear. (If you missed that newsletter, you can read it online here.) And I shared the following creativity tip: Ask yourself what specific fear or fears are interfering with your creativity? How can you find the courage to overcome them?
To help inspire your quest for courage, I ended that newsletter with a quote from Art and Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland. Since then, I've read a book with LOTS of inspiration and practical tips for overcoming fear: The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. (The book was a gift from my friend and career coach Lisa Mladinich.)
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Pressfield's book focuses on what he calls "Resistance," which he says is the enemy of Creativity. In the introduction to The War of Art, screenwriting expert Robert McKee defines this Resistance as "that destructive force inside human nature that rises whenever we consider a tough, long-term course of action that might do for us or others something that's actually good." Pressfield describes Resistance this way:
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“Most of us have two lives.
The life we live, and the unlived life within us.
Between the two stands Resistance.”
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In The War of Art, Pressfield talks about how our fear feeds Resistance. He says, "Master that fear and we conquer Resistance."
The key to conquering Resistance is to behave like a professional rather than an amateur.
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“The amateur believes he must first overcome his fear;
then he can do his work.
The professional knows that fear can never be overcome.
He knows there's no such thing as a fearless warrior
or a dread-free artist.”
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In other words, a "professional" feels the fear but acts anyway. Sound familiar? It's a variation on the sentiment in the quote from Art and Fear that I shared in December.
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“What separates artists from ex-artists is that
those who challenge their fears, continue;
those who don't, quit.”
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Acting like a professional has made all the difference in my writing career. Even before I sold my first novel, I made a point to keep regular writing hours. During those hours, I didn't check email, answer the phone, or do laundry. All I did was write or research.
Being a professional means I also invested in myself as a writer by taking classes, joining professional organizations, and attending conferences like the two I mention above. The investment of both time and money helped me think of myself as a real "writer."
Remember:
Writers write. Painters paint. Creative people create.
If you've taken any of my classes, you know this is something I emphasize: As long as you write regularly, you are a writer. But similarly, to believe yourself a writer, you must write regularly.
How do I define "regularly"? Some people say you have to write every day, or at least five days a week to be a "real" writer. I disagree. There are plenty of published writers who write only on weekends or when they get time off from their day jobs. I think it's up to you to find a work schedule that works for you. That's part of what it means to be a professional. And once you've decided on that schedule, you consistently follow it.
For example, I chose to take time off from my current work-in-progress for much of December and January. Then last week I sat down and sketched out a work schedule to resume my project beginning next Monday. Professionals accept that sometimes we have to take a break, for whatever reason, but we also know how to get back to work after that break ends. If you'd like to read about other habits that distinguish professionals from amateurs, check out Pressfield's book. While I don't agree with everything in The War of Art, overall, I found it inspiring. The book is a quick read and is likely available at your local library.
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For this month's creativity tip: Consider if you're ready to take your creativity seriously in 2019. If so, what specific steps can you take to approach your writing or other creative work more professionally? If you already have a regular schedule for your creative time, what other ways can you invest in your creative career? If you're willing to share, I'd love to know your answers to these questions.
Meanwhile, I'd like to leave you with the closing paragraph from Pressfield's The War of Art:
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“Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention
on the part of the actor.
It's a gift to the world and every being in it.
Don't cheat us out of your contribution.
Give us what you've got.”
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Until next time, happy creating!
Carmela
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Copyright © 2019 Carmela A. Martino. All rights reserved.
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