Your art is not your heart. When it’s out in the world, it’s no longer yours. You don’t need to worry about what it does once you let it go. It’s not personal.
If the people you love judge you for your work, maybe they don’t love you back. Maybe it would be better to let them go. Creativity is what drives you; your art is what keeps you alive. Don’t let anyone make you feel shame for that.
It doesn’t matter if you aren’t as talented as someone else — you make art because making art makes you feel good, not to please other people. You make art because you love the process. Keep doing it because of that and try to stop worrying about how good it will be in the end. That part isn’t the important part.
Even if you spend 30 minutes writing every single day and that’s it, you’re still making progress. Wake up and work a bit before breakfast. Sit down at your desk after work. If you’re too tired, you can always stop. You’ll feel better knowing that you sat down and tried.
Of course it’s scary to walk this path. That is the very reason that you’re on it. Because it’s scary. If you were to take the safe path without all the brambles, you would feel that your life had no meaning. Embrace the fear. Take it along for the ride. Its presence is what lets you know you’re going the right way.
What I’m Reading
I finished Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann last week. I really enjoyed it and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for an easy and humorous book, especially if you’re into animals, especially if you want to read something different. I am really happy I picked this up because I’ve been leaning towards heavier books and reading from the minds of sheep was definitely a lovely change of pace. I can’t believe this was her debut novel. I am kind of in awe of the brain that created this.
Next I’m reading On The Come Up for my little book club which has yet to be named. And then after that, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, for the same book club, because I still haven’t read our first book choice since I am a bit behind. Working on it.
What I’m Writing
Spent my week writing in my journal for The Daily Map and loved every second of it. I have not yet picked up my novel but hey, that’s top of my list this week, along with editing a short story that I’ve been struggling with. Thanks to The Daily Map I’m going to spend the first bit of my week rearranging my desk to make it more hospitable to creativity and then after that I’ll be making some rules about what I do when I sit there and how often I’m going to sit down and work. Update on that goes next week.
Mary E. Nolte 