Being a new writer and illustrator, I can definitely identify with this feeling. I’ve got manuscripts submitted but nothing to show in public, and no books published. I love how Kendall turned this way of thinking around and thought about herself as a beginner, not an imposter. Once she had done that, her mindset shifted and she was able to engage with the other musicians with far more confidence.

Check out the conversation below:

The Waiting Game And The Doing Game

Most of the work I’ve created so far is being submitted to contests. Which left me wondering ‘What am I supposed to do in the meantime?’ Keep creating, of course! My son just pointed out that you can’t expect people to engage with your work if they don’t know you and know what your work is like. His suggestion was to write some stories to publish online, on my website, and on social media, to give people some insight into my writing style. That way, people can test the water and find out if they resonate with my work. Great idea!

I began to realise I was in a bit of a scarcity mindset. I was thinking of each story as something I had to hang onto just in case it was “the one.” The reality is, that I can write many stories, so why is it that we often feel like every story we create is our best and last? Maybe, if we didn’t feel that way we might be inclined to put less effort in, thinking that the next story will be better.

It could be said that the more you create, the more creative you become. Ideas tend to spark more ideas and being creative should be a fun and pleasurable experience. The trick is to find a balance. You don’t want to give everything away but you also want to have fun with it and interact with people.

My last mission was to write a story every two weeks, which I have been doing, and it’s been a lot of fun! My second mission over the next few weeks is to write some stories for sharing. I might add a few illustrations because that makes it more fun.

^_^R xox

The post Stepping Into Who You Really Want To Be first appeared on Renea Mackie.

I’ve always admired how some people can write in flow. The words run like liquid gold, from their mind to the paper, or keyboard these days. As a reader, it’s like going zip-lining. You hook into the wire and off you go, on an exhilarating adventure until you get swiftly to the end, disappointed that your journey is over. Always left wanting just a little more.

I feel that way when I’m reading a novel but strangely, I feel differently when I read a good children’s picture book. When I get to the end of a picture book, I experience a feeling of satisfaction, of completeness. One journey has ended now another is free to begin. A picture book, to me, is like a tidy package of happiness. A perfect circle. You can revisit it many times, and every time is just as exquisite as the first.

Developing Your Craft

Children’s books look very simple but they can be incredibly difficult to craft. As someone who is new to this field, I thought it would be a good idea to challenge myself; to evolve my skill in this art. I’ve decided to write a story every two weeks. Some of them might be wonderful, some of them might be terrible, but I’m interested to see how my skill develops over time. One thing is for sure, I’ll find some diamonds that I can illustrate and publish. I’ll find some little sparks that I can share online and no doubt, I will fill up the trash can on my laptop!

I started this week and I surprised myself. I wrote a story that I’m entering into the Storylines Joy Cowley Award (thank you to my friend, Robyn, for sharing this link!). It was a very interesting experience! I discovered my writing voice was really starting to take on a life of its own. It felt like I was weaving a magical tapestry and the pattern of children’s book writing started to appear. That’s the point I was hoping to get to – that magical place where the ideas flow.

I haven’t been at this long enough but I suspect, as in life, your writing personality develops over time as you become more adept at expressing your ideas.

But Wait! There’s More!

Yes, there is always more! The other types of writing I need to get better at are blogging and social media posts. There’s a lot of work in becoming a writer of any kind these days. Thinking about what to post and creating the posts takes as much time as working on your books.

A valuable exercise that has emerged from my blog posting has been creating images for the posts! I’ve taken to using my blog as a way to be creative and develop ideas for stories. Today, I created Whoopsberry. Very rough, playful, random, and fun. Whoopsberry will go into my Idea Bank to be resurrected at a later date!

There’s a lot to learn when you’re a newbie. I saw the free HubSpot Content Marketing Course advertised on Facebook and decided to do it. So far, it’s pretty good. A great starting point when you’re new to all this.

Why Am I Doing This?

Two of the most challenging questions in the Marketing Course so far have been WHY and WHO are you writing for?

WHY

To nurture and empower self-expression. I love working with the idea of self-reflection – who are we in the world, what do we think about ourselves, how and why do we compare ourselves to others, and how empowered do we feel to express ourselves, to develop and use our own voice.

WHO

As with everything, you can’t write for everyone. You have to figure out who you are writing for and focus on them. They say you should write what you know about so I’m writing stories for kids like me.

I’ve always loved stories that inspired me to be me and to learn something new. Whether it was the meaning of a new word with a lot of syllables, a new concept, a different perspective, a place in the world, or an event. I loved stories that inspired my imagination and set me off on all kinds of tangents. I’ve always enjoyed complexity, figuring things out, problem-solving, detail, systems, and processes. Not in a rigid sense but in a flexible, creative way. I love color, interesting characters, and humor. So that’s who I’m writing for.

WHAT

At the moment, I’m thinking the what is probably just as unique to each writer as their why. You can get super creative here but at first, there is probably a dominant means of expression. Whether it’s through characters, design, storytelling, or subject matter. My guess is that mastery in this field would be to use all of these expressions in equal measure.

So, back to the art of becoming a writer. There are many different aspects that need to be considered. You, as a creative writer, and you, as a marketer. Why are you doing it? Who are you doing it for? What are you going to do? How do you choose to develop your skill? And that’s just the beginning. That’s where I’m at right now. The next step is to think about the publishing path.

^_^R

The post The Delightfully Challenging Task of Creating Unique and Wonderful Stories first appeared on Renea Mackie.

Today in Doodling with Donk we’re going to create AXY Monsters!

What are AXY Monsters? Let’s start drawing to find out!

The AXY Monster

If A = Prickly

Then The A Monster = The Prickly Monster:

If X = Peanut Butter Coloured

Then The AX Monster = The Prickly, Peanut Butter Coloured Monster:

If Y = Ten-Eyed

Then The AXY Monster = The Prickly, Peanut Butter Coloured, Ten-Eyed Monster:

Other versions:

The AY Monster = The Prickly, Ten-Eyed Monster:

The XY Monster = The Peanut Butter Coloured, Ten-Eyed Monster:

Let’s try another!

If A = Bendy

Then The A Monster = The Bendy Monster:

If X = Friendly

Then The AX Monster = The Bendy, Friendly Monster:

If Y = Cake

Then The AXY Monster = The Bendy, Friendly, Cake Monster:

Other versions:

The AY Monster = The Bendy, Cake Monster:

The XY Monster = The Friendly, Cake Monster:

FYI – Donk loves to draw words backwards!

Try It Yourself

Now, make up your own AXY Monsters!

Some words to try:

• Sleepy
• Jumping
• Bubble
• Ice-cream
• Robot
• 9-armed
• Floppy
• Zig-Zag
• Stripey
• Dotty
• Tall
• Thin
• Round
• Triangle
• Sticky
• Snotty
• Feverish

Check out this cool Game Word Generator via The Game Gal if you’d like more word ideas. And if you would like an extra challenge, try creating your own Random Word Generator in Scratch! Check out Perfectly Penguin‘s tutorial on YouTube and adjust the program by creating lists A, X, and Y instead of First Name and Last Name!

What might a WAXY Monster look like?

Share your creations with me on Facebook or Instagram!

^_^R & DLPDCC

The post Doodling With Donk! – AXY Monsters first appeared on Renea Mackie.

Up until the age of 6, I remember having complete freedom to draw, color, and paint whatever I wanted, and however I wanted, or at least believing I had that freedom. So why does that belief fade as we get older? It certainly did for me anyway.

I distinctly remember, at the age of 6, looking at another kid’s drawing and for the first time beginning to compare it to my own work. I thought it was a great drawing, an interesting idea and I asked myself ‘Why didn’t I think about doing something like that?’ It was an abstract picture. I didn’t explicitly know what an abstract picture was at that point but looking at this other artwork compelled me to make comparisons.

I usually drew pictures based on the world around me and what I was experiencing at the time. Otherwise, my drawings would represent things I was interested in, like architecture or people. I can’t recall ever drawing an abstract picture before that time – unless finger painting counts. But being confronted with the idea of abstract artwork piqued my curiosity and inspired me to explore this new concept. Was that drawing a new creation that didn’t exist in our world or was it literally the way that kid experienced and saw an everyday object or happening?

Felts Fear Increases Exponentially Over Time?

As I have grown older, I’ve noticed that it has become increasingly more difficult to put pen to paper without the self-critic awakening within me and putting its two cents worth in before I’ve even come up with an idea! This is especially so if I’m using felt pens or any other permanent marker that I can’t erase. Once I make a mark, it’s there to stay. It can’t be changed. Even if you draw over it or try to incorporate it into a rethinking, the original thought still remains for all to see.

These days, I worry about what other people will think of my expression, how it compares to other work, whether I think it’s good or not, whether it serves any purpose, and really, does it need to serve a purpose? The kid that drew that abstract drawing when I was six years old probably didn’t think about me sitting there with my synapses alight in contemplation of what she had just produced. You could say, that every work has a purpose even if the creator isn’t aware of its purpose at the time.

I suppose this seemingly negative, possibly reflective change in thinking, helps us to navigate our way through the world and interact with others, responding to what’s happening around us with a degree of empathy. But I do miss that freedom of expression. I’d like to get back there. I’m not sure if it’s possible, but I’d like to try.

Renea’s Donk Le Ponk de Clompity Clomp book series focuses on different ways to unleash our creativity, find inspiration and express ourselves using our own unique voice.

The post The Blank Page Monster – Putting Your First Felt Forward first appeared on Renea Mackie.