Sneaking is Winning
Okay! We’ve got ten minutes! What can we sneak in?
Dear reader, here’s the handshake agreement that makes sneaky boots writing or drawing work.
Sneaky boots is an attitude change, not a commitment change. You’re going to get that creative time in, but you’re going to look at the glass as half full.
You’re going to say, “Yay! I wrote!” Not, “Gah! I only got in 20 minutes!” Praise not punishment.
And you’re still going to make and hit artistic goals. I’ve just started a new job, so right now, I’m allowing myself twice a week. But I’ll noodge that up again.
It’s not, “Am I going to write?” It’s, “Given that I’m writing, how will I sneak it in?” The game is trying and testing, then keeping what works.
Entering writing contests is one thing that works for me. Here's one that I even won a place in!
Okay! We’ve got ten minutes! What can we sneak in?
Dear reader, here’s the handshake agreement that makes sneaky boots drifting or drawing work.
Sneak boots is an attitude change, not a commitment change. You’re going to get that creative time in, but you’re going to look at the glass as half full. You’re going to say, “Yay! I wrote!” Not, “Gah! I only got in 20 minutes!” Praise not punishment. And you’re still going to make and hit artistic goals. I’ve just started a new job, so right now, I’m allowing myself twice a week. But I’ll noodge that up again.
It’s not, “Am I going to write?” It’s, “Given that I’m writing, how will I sneak it in?” The game is trying and testing, then keeping what works.
Entering writing contests is one thing that works for me. Here's one that I even won a place in!
It’s cute. It’s small. But it’s mine! I won a useful critique of one of my stories from a published author. Yay!
For me, if I enter a contest expecting to win (nope!), I risk a spiral of self doubt and recrimination. Instead I enter to enter, just like I write and draw because I can’t seem to not to. Yes, there’s a goal to publish work and make commissioned pieces, but if this was about just making money, there’d be easier ways. I deeply desire knowing how to make good art and committing enough time in my life to do so.
So for me then, it’s about figuring out how to honor and share the impulse to create. That’s what keeps me sneaking out of my bed and lighting my candle in the darkness. I hope it keeps you going too.
The contest I mentioned above is the Valentiny Writing Contest by Susanna Hill. She does a few through the year and is worth checking out.
Valentiny Writing Contest – Susanna Leonard Hill
If you know of and want to share any others, please comment!
