The universe is laughing, but after a difficult week, I finally had my ducks in a row with three drafted posts - one for Patreon, one for Substack, one for Wordpress-backed OnlySky, when... the internet went out.
🙃🦆🦆🦆(🐋!)
So, for a laugh, here's what a family member sent me yesterday, when I sent them a heartfelt message of thankfulness for our being in contact. (Most of my family doesn't talk due to past trauma.)
Life, man.
What a challenge it can be to connect in ways that help us grow.
Otherwise, I'm okay. I couldn't "brain" effectively for a while - really big trigger hit home this week - but I think I'm past the stress-related freeze now, and ready to start the week on better footing, with new goals and a structure to keep energy high.
🍵 How's everyone else been? What's cooking? Who's on fire? Who still needs to make bail? Did you do or create something that makes you feel all good and fuzzy inside? 👀
You stay safe as well, @MLClark 🤞
@MLClark "Strange planet."
#NASA's Insight has proved that "Marsquakes" are a thing. This is the first proof that quakes happen on other planets.
The Apollo crews placed seismographs on the Moon. "Moonquakes" are typically caused by the gravitational pull of Earth, or a meteor strike.
(I'm in Sheldon Cooper mode today ...)
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-insight-records-monster-quake-on-mars
@MLClark suffering from imposter syndrome due to participating in a big sale and...not selling more than two books. That spurred my blog post today about the similarities between breaking through in writing and succeeding big-time in horse show world. It's much the same dynamic.
IOW, if you don't have a big-name mentor, guide, or group to help you, you're going nowhere. No matter how good you are.
"IOW if you don't have a big-name mentor, guide, or group to help you, you're going nowhere. No matter how good you are."
🫂 This is a lesson I learned years ago, but it's still a hard one to navigate because most everyone *else* considers the field a meritocracy. Surely the good work will out, right? It's hard to feel like one has to justify why all the work isn't "going anywhere".
But so it goes.
We keep showing up.
Maybe one day luck will too.
Congrats on those 2 sales!
Also, you might have seen this before, but it's a good reminder for all our #WritersOfCoSo:
"Writers’ organisations said the results were unsurprising, but still disappointing, and paint 'a picture of a writing profession that is inaccessible and unsustainable for too many'. They have warned the figures could see writing become 'the preserve of the privileged'."
As I try to highlight: Our industries aren't doing well. It's not a "you" problem. 🫂
@MLClark welp, the two sales expanded to ten, and I think I have a handle on what to do/not to do next time.
Heritage was popular; Justine was...not, alas.
I don't think that everyone else *inside* the field considers it to be a meritocracy, at least not after a few years in the trenches. But they're afraid to say too much in dissent with the overall perception of meritocracy because that's what the gatekeepers keep putting out there.
Me? Welp, I'm a loudmouth. Always have been.
@MLClark Being a loudmouth gets me into trouble, always has. On the other hand, shutting up and enduring just makes me angry and frustrated, so...I'm gonna say what I think.
But to you who know me...if I make it big, rest assured that it isn't because I'm sitting down and being quiet.
Ooo, and we are definitely getting more trembles up in here, too. Strange planet.
Hope you're taking good care of yourselves, whatever natural crises you're facing where you are. 🫂