Hello Readers!
I’ve had a fun summer, going on road trips and spending time with family. Now it’s time to get back into the groove of “normal life.” You know, the real world, the one that involves deadlines and responsibility. I’m ready. Well, pretty much.
After publishing my debut novel, Water Lily, I needed a writing break. That’s not to say I didn’t think about or work on the next book at all over the summer. I did. But sometimes I need to express myself in other creative ways in order to free my mind up to the hard work of writing. For me, that means drawing and painting.
For years it’s been a hobby of mine to draw mazes. Easy mazes, hard mazes. Believe it or not, creating these quirky things is extremely relaxing. When I’m concentrating on the twists and turns, my mind is completely absorbed in the process. This is incredibly helpful to my writing! When I finally go to my chair to write, I find my thoughts to be less cluttered and more focused.
Unfortunately, I tend to feel guilty if I’m doing something with my time other than writing. I think about my personal deadlines, how much I want to achieve that day or that month. Is drawing or painting only a distraction? Absolutely not! I have to remind myself that time spent enjoying a hobby is not wasted time.
Other writers have said that going for a walk or doing some form of exercise can also be helpful. I think that if you do any hobby that you enjoy, if you express yourself in other creative ways, you are in essence feeding your “writer brain.”
Speaking of brains . . .
My mazes happen to look like twisted brains . . .or tangled intestines. Weird, I know. But, hey, it works for me!
I decided to make a coloring book of some of my mazes, while also incorporating my love of drawing. I know I'm not the only person with a warped sense of humor, so I'm happy to share!
The theme of my coloring book is Twisted Fairytales. You know, where beloved storybook characters have had, well, accidents. Here's an example:
My coloring book Twisted Fairytales should be available by the end of the month.
Remember:
Expressing yourself in ways other than writing is NOT a waste of time. You are feeding your “writer brain.”