Writing • Page 31

I have experience using Fiverr designers for other things (custom bookmarks). Came out great. As for a cover designer I have a friend who runs a design agency herself and she did both of my books’ covers (FYI she didn’t create the original art) at https://hyphenateagency.com/. Posting the covers here

 

Ive got the two photographs I’ve narrowed it down to, so I’m hoping it’s not a huge endeavor. I’ve got a poetry collection I’m about to yeet into the universe. I think.

 

It's an editing tool that scans your writing for mistakes, everything from diction to repetition to grammar to sentence structure. I'm only using the trial version right now and it turns out I use a lot of passive verbs lol

ProWritingAid - the best grammar checker, style editor, and editing tool in one package.

 

fragments: let go

 

work in progress: death of a poet

 

I haven't done any actual writing in some time (having a newborn will do that), but I joined three fantasy writing groups on Facebook. As terrible as that sounds, they've actually been very helpful and I've gotten some good feedback on snippets here and there. Was turned onto some resources that have helped me edit and visualize some things. Slow going, but that's the season right now with having a baby!

 

anxiety be damned, i read my poetry in public for the first time a few days ago. i’m the fourth poet, and the piece i read was ‘davy jones’.

 

Nice to put a voice to the words. Well done! Def is nerve wracking sharing your writing in a public setting but you killed it

 

I'm not sure if it's my mental health preventing me from writing, or from my lack of creativity affecting my mental health, but recently I've felt devoid of any creative urgency or motivation whatsoever. I haven't written anything new in weeks, maybe months at this point. It often feels like no one cares about my art except myself, and I'm having trouble making myself feel like the effort is worth it--and yet I know it hurts my heart to stay this quiet for so long.

What do you guys do if/when you feel this way? Would love to hear some suggestions other than "read more" because I already read every night before bed.

 

I've decided to not pursue writing for the foreseeable future for many of those reasons/some others, tbh. I'm trying to get a cover for the poems that are ready to go, gonna throw it on Amazon, and call it day.

 

I don't know if that's really an option for me. I have a career apart from my creative output, so taking breaks from writing is fortunately possible for me (in a financial sense). But the act of imagining and creation is essential to who I am, and so quitting altogether doesn't really seem like a possibility. It would be like denying my own nature and I fear it would deepen my rut.

 

it's this sick circle of 'i think i have enough poems to make this book happen' to 'man the doodles i have can become somethin really good', to 'as soon as i finish this them i might have enough' and then years go by and you keep writing without a finish line in sight.

i've had a completely different idea now that all this time has passed. basically i'm writing the program for my own funeral. i'll make about 20 copies for my family and close friends and besides them, it'll never see the light of day.

 

I mean, same thing for me. But giving myself permission to just walk away for the time being really helped the mental anguish aspect of it. Breaks are necessary. The well needs refilled. We're over two years into a pandemic with a major war crisis, it's okay to need a break from it all. Especially if writing isn't acting like a break.

 

That's a positive way to look at it. I misunderstood when you said that you're calling it a day, that you'd be stopping for good. I'm usually a big proponent of taking breaks to recharge, but I guess I've been on a break and feeling the absence and pressure of other writers keeping active. Maybe I just need to lighten up on myself and take my own advice.

 

fragments: antidote

fragments: undone

 

Wanted to share this little article run by my undergraduate university's newspaper, about my recent poetic-fiction novella Below Torrential Hill. It was great reconnecting with my school and being interviewed by them. Feels very "full circle"

THE EAGLE: Author and AU alum discusses how community is essential to book writing

 

I didn't win, but my poetry manuscript is a runner-up for the Animal Heart Press poetry collection contest. Feeling grateful I was considered so highly.

 

Just posted about my book I'm about to release in another thread and someone messaged to say I should get involved in this thread so here I am! I've just been looking through. Some good stuff here and seems like an encouraging place to be!

 

Welcome! Huge congrats on the book. Tell us about it in here!

 

it's been a minute.
tiring new work schedule.
a work in progress, completed.

-Aurorae-

 

I, uh, wrote a book of poems about living through a pandemic. I also made a playlist of corresponding songs because of who I am as a person.

 

Wanted to congratulate you and let you know I just ordered a copy.

How does it feel to have a book out there now? How are sales going for you?

 

Thank you!

It’s a little surreal. It was a secret project for so long that it’s weird that now everyone knows. I’m getting much better feedback than expected, too. I was so personal that I was afraid I’d hurt relationships and such and everyone I was worried about loved it.

Better than expected. I’ve covered all my costs now, which is all I could ask for. I didn’t really think it would be anything major. I just wanted people to maybe not feel alone.

 

The eBook of this is free for the next five days to celebrate the fact I've recouped all my costs/get more copies out there to people. Sorry to spam this a few places here, but hey, you don't put out books every day.

 

work in progress: words over whiskey (cont.)