The Value of a Creative Mentor

You're creative. You believe to some degree you have talent. You would like to do that creative thing as a job because you LOVE it, BUT you go ahead and do everything except exactly that.
You might even go and do everything else you can possibly do to support that notion. It's helpful, but the mountain is still way in the distance.
I have always enjoyed creativity in many forms. Some years ago I concluded writing was top of my list.
 In regard to that I looked at what I felt confidant about- I loved writing, I believed I had ability, I had enthusiasm and I wanted to be a published author. All good.
I looked at what I thought I had against me- I knew no other writers, I didn't know much about the industry, I didn't know where to start, I wasn't sure who I wanted to write for, I wasn't sure exactly how good my work was.
All the things I thought stood between me and being published I worked on- I joined writer and author societies, I made writer friends, I attended work-shops and courses, I talked to authors, I had manuscript appraisals, I read books on writing and publishing, I looked up things on the Internet.
At the end of that, I finally felt I knew what I was doing, who I wanted to write for, how good my writing was and I knew all the steps I needed to take to get published. Now I only had to write!
Of course I wrote little snippets regularly and I'd written some children's stories. I had a few ideas for novels.
People encouraged me- friends, family, industry professionals. All green lights. Then the biggest green light flashed in my face- A YEAR OF TIME. That's right, all my complaints about struggling to write amid part-time work and family life ceased to be a reason. I had a whole year ahead of me and I envisioned the novels, plural, I would get finished and return from my year, ready to knock on a publishers door with their new bestseller. I couldn't wait!
After some initial busyness caused by moving abroad, I finally got down to writing. A Few months had passed but I still had loads of time. And I did write. Some days.
 I had a few obstacles I'm sure didn't speed my progress- writing is an isolated occupation and outside of that I had little social life (living in a new country). I was living in a new country I wanted to see, not from the window. Also, I had left behind more or less my little network of writer friends.
My progress was slow and I lost my focus. My days of writing slipped. I was frustrated and grumpy and had no one to discuss my work with. Suddenly I was two thirds through my writing year and wasn't anywhere near the goals I hoped to achieve. I hit a really creative low-point.
I read some inspiring and soul searching books and was starting to feel enthused and hopeful again when lo and behold  the opportunity to have a three month mentorship jumped out onto the path before me. It seemed like the exact thing that I needed and I jumped at the idea.
This  turned out to be the MOST VALUABLE STEP in my whole long flight of creative stairs.
I mean, I have had some brilliant epiphany's along the way and over the years, but their value is somewhat diminished if these trees we build never bear fruit.
During the next three months my mentor,  Karen ( http://www.karenscottboyd.com/home ) spoke with me every week by phone and mail. These sessions were formal but I could contact her more or less whenever I needed by email.
Some of my sessions with her were practical- how to get the writing actually done, and other sessions were more holistic and looked at the mind, body and spirit focus of what I was doing- my health, my thoughts, my habits, my attitude.
 Karen brought me very gently along, supporting my work with genuine interest and encouragement and providing me with invaluable new tools to bring out the professional writer in me. At the end of the three months, not only had I done more writing in a set time than I had ever done in my life, but I understood myself a lot better and was working more steadily than I had ever managed before towards my goals.
 I finally have a completed manuscript AND, Karen helped me put together a cover letter for an agent, plus  helped me think about marketing and several other areas for the future I hadn't even thought about. She helped prepare me, not just to be a productive writer, but a successful author.
 And, I learnt how to do all these things for myself, so that I could keep going once my time with my mentor was done.
I simply couldn't ask for more (except of course if she had also been head of a publishing house;)
Unless you are lucky enough to have a very good friend in the industry, I can't think of anyone more valuable to help you reach your goals than a mentor- especially one who specialises in helping creative people.
If you've ticked all the other boxes, or are in the middle of doing so because that's all you can seem to get out of yourself, then I cannot more highly recommend the use of a mentor- in fact wouldn't it be great if we all just had one anyway? Just think what we might achieve!

Don't Die With the Words Still Inside

Last night I read a small sentence which completely horrified me. It was- "And die with the words still inside you."
This could easily translate to whatever creative passion drives you, but for me personally, writing is the parcel I feel compelled to deliver before death do I part. Surely then, I need only draw a picture of a headstone with my own name on it and some words like 'Beloved Author and Artist'to give me something feel-good to work toward. Uh-huh.
Let's face it though; not doing what floats your boat is like not getting your life letter in the mailbox. How badly you feel about that varies person to person. Personally it terrifies me.Surely then this is top-notch motivation. A clear vision. An undisputed goal. Of course, and I will be there with bells on, just after I check my e-mail...
I read that earlier dire sentence in an excellent compilation of 50 life lessons, written by one Regina Brett. They are gathered up into a neat little book called 'Life's Little Detours' and I highly recommend it. My quote comes from a piece entitled- "A writer is someone who writes. If you want to be a writer, write."
Brett was once asked what makes a writer. She replied that she wasn't really sure, but she did know what DIDN'T make a writer. She then writes a long and comprehensive list of all the usual excuses we find not to write/paint/compose. You will blush when you read it, because most of your 'Reasons' or simply excuses are listed here. Ouch. You can rate them from valid and genuine to pathetic, but the fact is, they are all time spent not doing what you know full well in your heart you should be doing.
Isn't it silly that if someone told you you were not allowed to write/draw/paint etc ever again you would look at them like they were insane- "As if anyone can stop me!Ha!" And yet, many days and in many ways, we are our own worst enemy. How did we change our fear of not doing, to a fear of doing? Figuring this out, may seem valid, but it's just another waste of time!
Instead, each day, 'say' what you were born to say,because you love it, because it makes you feel alive and it just feels damn right. Make a choice while you can.

The Pleasant Torture Of Writer's Festivals

A few days ago I attended the 3rd Sutherland Shire Writers Festival at Gymea. The event promised a good line up of esteemed writers and illustrator's, most of them for children and teens. Bring on the fun!
The day did not pan out as I imagined however. After two excellent presentations by writers Oliver Phommavanh and Melina Marchetta, I had taken down some juicy notes and my head was brimming with ideas and writing wisdom.
No sooner had that finished than I had a manuscript consultation with author Sue Whiting of Walker Books.
No matter how lovely Sue is and that I have now met her half a dozen times, I still got so nervous touting my literary wares that my knees became caffeinated crabs under the desk and I had to speak through a nervously clenched jaw.If Sue felt any alarm or pity towards me, she thoughtfully hid it.
The advice I got was excellent. Amazing how you can read your piece 17 times and never notice obvious flaws until you sit in front of an editor- and they haven't even spoken yet!(It's like getting dressed in a posh frock, doing your hair and make-up and after some self-admiration in the mirror, you head out into the sun only to notice the big juice stain down your dress!)
Sue was encouraging and the appraisal was well worth the cost, but after I got out of there, I couldn't possibly face a workshop or more talks. If I can compare the moment (forgive my addiction to analogies) to being fed delicious hor d'ourves and they're bloody wonderful and you're scoffing them down, but they just keep coming and no matter how good, you just can't keep going.
Instead I walked outside into the heat and climbed up on a little wall like a jigging child. I thawed out from the air-con and flicked through my notes. I couldn't ignore the fact I was simply busting to write. There was nothing for it but to leave.
When my husband came home at lunchtime, he found me, with surprise on the computer.
HUSBAND-Oh you're home! Err...was the festival okay?
ME- Yeah, it was great! That's why I'm home and writing.
HUSBAND-Uh, okay.
And I'm afraid this is pretty much what happens to me every time at Festivals, but usually I stick it out, feeling nothing short of lobotomised at the end.
It would be just great at these shindigs if there were two hours of talks and then two hours of scribbling. Fill the jug, empty the jug.

Perhaps my jug is just too small!

Studio Pigsty

These last two weeks have been more or less only artwork as I work towards meeting a self-imposed dead-line. The dead-line had a most tasty carrot - my bookstore agreeing to sell (on commission) some of my illustrations. Hooray!
Really it was about time that I asked. Previously I had moaned about all the comments people were giving to another illustrator's work displayed there.
I whinged to my boss who bluntly said "Well, she got her finger out and did those. Where's yours?" My inner whinge bag procrastinator needed that slap. And so here I am, ready to pop my own work onto a wall. It will be interesting since I will obviously hear some comments, not all positive, but a great opportunity to learn more and, hopefully sell some of my work.
I gave this blog that particular title because I wanted to show you the area I work in. I might add, I don't normally wear a hat, but had been out and come home and headed straight down to work. I am a shocker at working in whatever clothes- good or bad I am wearing when the urge to create takes me( about the time the dishes need doing)
I am tremendously lucky to have a studio under our house. It is also our storage area. Growing up,my Mum always said my room was a pigsty. As shown by my picture, it still is. I know other people are very tidy and neat. I tend to think in circles and fragments and am not very ordered. I have had to learn to be a bit practical to manage a home, work and family, but in my studio, I get to let my inner slob be herself- I never loose things and I produce good stuff during happy hours of play/work. It gets a furious tidy after each session of projects. In the meantime, I love my sty as it is- a creative chaos with me as it's mistress.

Photoscape Phun

A friend put me onto the free Photoscape photo software which I have gone really wacky on as you will see from my pics.
Like Photoshop but need something cheaper and simpler- try photoscape! Worth giving the lovely people a donation for their great product.
These are from my day at Bonnie Vale. I do so love being an amateur photographer. These were taken on a 4 year old Nikon Coolpix P4.

Author/Illustrator Interview

As no-one has rung me for an interview yet, I thought I'd jump the gun by making one up. I doesn't hurt to practice surely? Prepare to be moved, inspired, etc.

JANET- Natalie, you've written hundreds of stories, poems, plays, newsletters, cornflake commercials and indeed, painted murals, canvasses, drawn pictures, tattooed and chalked on your driveway.

NATALIE (Me actually-isn't this exciting?!)- That's right Janet.

JANET- So how much of your work has been taken on by a real publisher then?

NATALIE-(Pause) Er, that would be 'null' Janet.

JANET- Null?

NATALIE- Actually, it's pronounced 'nool' as in rhymes with 'wool'. I'ts how my German grandmother would say "None, zero etc" which in English translates as "None, zero etc". Very similar meaning.

JANET- Right. Ah, why is that Natalie? You obviously have the urge and some talent.

NATALIE- That's a good question Janet. Perhaps you could ask me a different one.

JANET- oh, okay (looks flustered). Why do you have short hair these days? Is it a feminist statement?

NATALIE- Right. No, actually. Though I do believe very much in the feminist train of thought. I just think it stopped half way along the tracks. Long way to go yet, so "All aboard. Toot, toot etc" No really the hair is because I don't have a lot of time and this length works on my dog- she doesn't look too bad in the morning. Dog clippers work on human hair it turns out.

JANET- Ahhh..

NATALIE- Anything else? I really need to update my Facebook status- "being interviewed LOL"

JANET- Well, I had intended to ask what advice you might give budding writers and artists but..

NATALIE- No I can do that. Hmmm, well- for a start, don't take any negativity from parents or teachers. They were given negativity about their stuff and that is why they are now sulky. Break the cycle and ignore them.
Then I would say- immerse yourself in what you love, not like in a bath or pool or anything- just read loads, check out art and most important- do loads of it yourself.
Find other like-minded (wacky) people, join groups etc (regular folk will get bored with you going on) and network, network, network! (check out my blog! I'm on facebook too!). Oh, and find some discipline. I had none and this became a 35 year old problem. Pretending you will die in a year is good motivation (readers who really are going to die within the year-sorry- but you can still get loads done in a few hours so cheer up:-)). Also I now get up at 5am and because my eyes are glazed with sleep, I don't seem to notice the ironing or the messy kitchen which would otherwise distract me- but weirdly not my children. Huh.

JANET- Okay, well thanks Na-

NATALIE- Oh, just a little more (shove Janet aside gently and get close to mic or camera), enter lots of competitions with short stories since you will have them to spare -you can't be precious about them all. Because sometime, some kind sod will give you good feedback and this will help. And lastly don't seek approval from others- beleive in yourself!!!
Was that okay Janet? Was I alright?

JANET- Uh, thankyou again Natalie for your compelling and er, well-researched advice.

NATALIE- No Thankyou Janet. Not a problem. Less than an hours work on Google!

Rockin' Writer's Bod (or attempts to that end)

A phrase keeps popping into my head. Actually it is the title of a book at work- “The Practice of Writing.” It clanged a really big bell in my head because, to write well, one must actually write and if I do not do it every day, then I will not improve.
I think a writers mind (or anyone creative) is like a body. By writing every day I take this body for some exercise, which builds tone and muscle and feels pretty good too. Sometimes I wonder just from writing each day how I will get better at it, with no other input. Well somehow I do, but like a body, there are definitely other factors involved- good food, fresh air, sunshine, laughter, conversation with others, spirituality, love. These are things my physical body needs. As a writer, my brain body translates these things as: reading great books and books on writing, jotting down fresh ideas into paper. Keeping a sense of humour, doing things that make me laugh, doing things that inspire like going for a walk and appreciating the beauty around me (seems easy in the greener areas but in the city I marvel at the history and atmosphere and also the cleverness of architects and trades people). Getting together with like minded people for a brainstorm- always gives me a recharge, noting conversations around me: listening to the structure and tone and emotion and grinning over peoples gorgeous accents from wherever. Doing what I love (easiest way of living in the moment)and getting out in nature is spiritual for me. And having people who love me support me, and me doing the same in turn and the lovely feeling that giving freely, gives back.
So I think that whilst writing every day can give you a rockin’ writers bod (still working out here), the life that you expose that body to, is a vital part of total writing health too.
As Richard Simmons said "Get up and squeeze..."