Happy March everyone!

It's springtime and all the flowers are blooming around here. I love it, even with allergies.

Refilling the Creative Well

I've been working on a couple of big writing projects this month. I have one novel about nerdy teen elves at the editor and another prequel novella going through revisions. Novels are long! I know that's a thing, but you really notice it when you are doing rounds of edits.

I got to a place this month where everything started to look terrible. Every scene felt like the worst scene ever. That's when I realized that I'd turned my creative work into a slog. I had been writing writing writing and my creative well was running dry.

I took some time out to be outside. To do my laundry. To smell the almond blossoms. I played piano and taught my daughter how to crochet.

Big projects are a marathon; if you go too long without self-care or a break, you can burn out. Don't forget your favorite ways of refilling the creative well!

Creativity Journal

My fellow creative, Audette Minks and I are working on a fun side project with her artwork. Here's a sneak preview of the cover ideas we're kicking around. Do you like one text box or two? Reply and let me know.

Creativity Resources

I love the book Draw Your Day by Samantha Dion Baker. I went through a big watercolor phase with her style of permanent marker filled in with watercolors. I wrote a blog about it. If it works for Ms. Conn's first graders, it can work for anyone. (Yes, this is an intimate newsletter list and yes, there are a high percentage ex-Willow Oaks people on it. We are a creative bunch. #wfl)

Hope you have a great rest of March and happy creating!

Mary