Taking a trip away from daily life is like hitting a reset button for me. All the things that were making me angry, worried, etc before the trip still exist, but they've lost their hold on me. They are less relevant to my existence and it's easier for me to work around them.I've realized lately that I don't care what most people think. I've always been that way, but as I get older, I care even less. People are going to do and say things based on their own weaknesses or limited life experience regardless of what I do. So I might as well be doing the things that give me joy.
Stories are what give me joy. And they come in so many forms, so whether I'm watching a movie, reading a book, listening to a song, writing poetry, or talking to loved ones, I can do what I enjoy most. Sharing stories with others is where the motivation to complete writing projects comes from for me. I don't want to keep them all bottled up inside me.
Yes, I hope to one day make enough money doing these things to pay my bills. No, I don't believe there is anything wrong with that. Getting a return on your investment is smart business, not "selling out". Each novel is one project and as a former project manager, I know the workers always got paid for the work they did. People often focus on the artful side of writing without considering the business of it. A lot of work goes into a book and unless you want to put junk in the world or are incredibly skilled at every type of work needed to make a good book, there are people that need to be paid. Editors, cover designers, marketing, publicists, etc all get you farther than you can get alone. You need to know which things you can do and which you need help with.
Resetting is letting me look at my life from a different perspective just like sticking a manuscript into a drawer for a couple of weeks after completing a draft does to help one know how to revise it. Stepping away pulls me out of the weeds and lets me see the forest once again. It lets me see what matters and gets me back on course.
Salut,
R~