Spring Reflecting

Since my last post, I've found a job. I'm working for a small operation that creates old antique finishes on antique replica furniture. Very interesting and totally different from the usual run of manufacturing jobs. No wrench-twiddling here. Now I'm swinging a paint brush instead. The downside...it's a day job and I am not a morning person. My new boss is determined to change my night-owl status. Hmmm...wish him luck. I love working evenings, especially in the warmer months. There is nothing like sitting outside late at night, gazing at the moon and listening to the night sounds. The heat and noise of the day disappear in the inky darkness; the air is softer and the stars twinkle brightly. This I miss, plus having my mornings to do as I please. But I can't complain, and shouldn't. That I'm still not making a living doing what I love is my own fault. When one doesn't apply oneself, one shouldn't expect extraordinary results. Am I right?

It's not that I haven't set goals, because I have. It's not that I don't know what I really want to do, because I do. It's the fact that I haven't aptly applied myself toward reaching my goals. And that is the most important part of achieving any kind of success in your life, from relationships to job promotions, to freeing yourself from the job-world altogether. No matter what you want to do, be a published writer, fine artist, or company CEO, you must apply yourself to find success. Changing your thinking is only a small step. Write down your goals, then break them down into steps you can take daily, weekly, or monthly...and do them, one by one. Study the habits of successful people in your chosen field, learn whatever you need to know, and apply this knowledge to your own path. Contact someone you admire who is doing what you want to do. I'm shy when talking to people, but I've found that those whom I've had the courage to contact have been extremely gracious about answering my questions, whether by email or face-to-face.

I've learned quite a bit in the last few months, having been laid off and now back to the grind. I've learned that I like freedom, especially the freedom to structure my day however I choose. And I like to take my days slow and easy...this is the South, you know. Why do we need to rush? And that is what I want for myself. While I'm sending positive feelings about these things into the universe, setting up my vision board so that I can stay focused on my goals, I'll also be doing whatever I need to do to move myself in the direction of those goals. One step at a time.

End of lecture! Wishing everyone a wonderful week! Spring is here!

Get Creative!
StellaD

Don't Quit Your Day Job...Hah!

Spring has come to west Georgia. At least, the spring flowers are in full bloom. This weekend the dogwoods blossomed in the woods along the highway. And I'm happy to see warmer weather after such a cold winter. We even had snow this year! I love snow, and it was a double treat for me as it snowed on my birthday. Doesn't get any better than that! Needless to say, I spent as much time out in it with my camera as I could. But my usual exuberance over spring time is muted this year, as I am faced with a challenge that I'm not too sure I can handle...at least not well.

One of the many pieces of advice often given to aspiring writers, artists, and entrepreneurs is to keep your job and build your business on the side. In this way you can build up your clips, portfolio, or clientele while still paying the bills and/or paying down your debt. Hopefully, you'll also be able, during this time, to save up an emergency fund to help you through the transition when you're ready to give up the j-o-b to run your business full time. But...what if your job quits you first? What if you get laid off before you've paid off your bills or saved at least 6-8 months of living funds?

Today's working environment is highly volatile. Corporations are downsizing; production work is being sent overseas; the bottom can drop out of your work-life without warning. That's what happened to my co-workers and me in February. We went in to work on a Monday evening only to find that second shift was being shut down. That very day! Wham-bam, just like that, with no prior warning. Even the boss didn't know it until he showed up for work that evening. At the meeting, I was o-kay with the lay-off until one of the HR people started taking our badges. I think I went into shock then. I simply couldn't (and still can't) believe it. Talk about bad timing!

I've always said that Life is an adventure...well, I think this is going to be mine. Wish me well on this journey. I have no idea where I'm going, nor how I'm going to get there, but staying put is no longer an option. If I'm going to soon be broke and homeless, this gal's headed for the beach. Until I can finagle a laptop to keep me company, I can't say how often I'll get back online, as sadly, the cable will be the first thing to get axed.

My advice to you, whether you're considering going into business for yourself or not, is to start saving...no matter how little...now. Even small change adds up over time. Pennies make dollars the adults always told me when I was a kid. Yes, they do.

Blessings to you all!
StellaD

A Sobering Question

The dilemma of one of our Fast Track members prompted me to write this post. The statement she made to us haunted me long after I had posted a reply. I hope she will forgive me, but I realized that her concern was one that plagues many new writers. I remember having the same thought when I was younger.

A most exciting time for a writer is that moment of pure inspiration. You get an idea for a book that grips you and just won't let go. All of your thoughts center on this idea. Scenarios, angles, even dialogue swirl around in your mind. You know without a doubt that you have to write this book. Then you think, what if this book has already been written? It's a sobering question that can quickly douse the flame of inspiration. But is it valid? My answer is no, but I wanted the opinion of another writer.

I posed this question to Funds for Writers founder C. Hope Clark. Hope constantly encourages and inspires me...and patiently answers my questions. She has graciously permitted me to quote her answer in this post.

What if the book I want to write has already been written?

What an intriguing question. First of all, your book has never been written. The topic may have been discussed, researched and presented, but never in the manner in which you can write it. How many biographies have been written about George Washington, John F. Kennedy, or Princess Diana? How many Civil War books have covered each skirmish, battle by battle, date by date, general by general? There was even a law-suit about the DaVinci Code, if you will recall, and the authors of the first book lost against Dan Brown, the author of the second book.

You cannot copyright an idea. Ideas belong to the world. The manner in which they are explained belongs to the author. Regardless of what you write, nonfiction or fiction, the manner of story-telling is yours. Even the driest history can come alive in the words of the right author. Your job is to write to make a reader want to read. And if you write it well, with a style all your own, no matter how many times a reader has read about the Industrial Revolution, the greening of America or the lifestyle of the early pioneers in relation to Native Americans, he'll enjoy your book. He'll also tell his friends who will tell their friends, something he's never done with the other versions of the book you think have already been written.

As you can see, it doesn't matter how much has been written on a subject, it's all about your own voice and what you feel you can add to the mix. Don't let anything steal your dreams. If you have questions about writing, ask another writer. Most will be happy to help you. No matter how trivial you may think your questions are, if they keep you from moving forward they are important enough to be answered.

Happy Writing!
StellaD
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C. Hope Clark is the founder of FundsforWriters.com and author of The Shy Writer. She has also been published in Writer's Digest, The Writer, Byline Magazine and others.