Picking Up

Hi again.

Hi. Thanks for being here.

It’s been a while, so many thanks for reading this after my year-long hiatus from Substack posting.

Forthcoming poetry chapbook

I’m excited to share that I’ve continued to make progress with my word game poetry collection, which I discussed in previous posts. It’s a 30-poem collection with each poem integrating words from a… *ahem* popular online word game.

my rough sketch of the title

Last year, I submitted it to a chapbook contest for consideration, and it was not chosen. I picked it back up in July with more vigor, editing again, scrutinizing formatting, writing front and back matter, researching publishing and printing options, and more.

I’m getting closer. And man, does it feel good to see the light of a publication at the end of the tunnel. I’m still in the tunnel. But I can see the glorious light ahead.

Some of you may ask, what is a chapbook? A chapbook is just a small printed book, usually 20-40 pages. It’s a popular format for poetry, but it could be used for short stories, too. And with 30 poems, a chapbook is the perfect format for this project.

My mom has agreed to provide the artwork, for which I am so very grateful. Here’s one of her illustrations from the collection:

I’m hoping to have it printed by September. I will share details on how to buy it when the time comes. I’m so excited!

A flashback to November

November marked the final official NaNoWriMo — National Novel Writing Month, where writers all over the world attempt to write a novel in November. NaNoWriMo was founded in 1999, and sadly, after dealing with financial difficulties and other things, the nonprofit announced that 2024 was its last official year. I imagine there will be programs that take its place. I definitely plan to continue the tradition myself.

I participated last year, and I won! I drafted a novel in a month, over 50,000 words in 30 days. It’s a great experience, and I had a lot of fun with it. I don’t want to give too much away, but it did involve writing about Mission the Cat.

The Artist’s Way tools

The Artist’s Way and other books by Julia Cameron have continued to inspire me in my creativity and pursuit of my writing career. For any fellow creatives out there, I recommend Cameron’s books and her tools.

I have regularly been writing morning pages and going on artist’s dates, which I detailed more in this post. Morning pages help regulate my days and help me figure out what to do, how I feel, etc. Artist’s dates give me something to look forward to, and though a bit awkward at first, I’ve grown to appreciate them more and more.

Cameron also talks about the value of going on 20-minute solo walks at least twice a week with no distractions.

And then there is guidance, which is, essentially, asking the universe your questions and knowing how to listen or look for a response. To me, it aligns with “ask and you shall receive” or with the general concept of manifestation — another great tool to keep in the creativity toolkit.

In other news, I’ve started a writer/author Facebook page. Please like/follow me there if you’d like.

Thank you, again, for being here. I appreciate your eyes on my words. More soon.

With Love,

Sally