I can’t believe how quickly this year flew by! It seems like just a few days ago I was sitting here plotting out a year of blog posts and looking forward to some great creative projects. While I faced some unexpected challenges this year, I also learned a lot. It seems that my lessons always come disguised as what feel like catastrophes and this year was no different. An unexpected pregnancy, the promise of a new home and its subsequent loss, a little one off to school, family members moving across the pond; 2015 took a lot of getting used to. But my goal this year was to embrace the chaos (since it comes anyway) and I am really pleased with the outcomes of that approach. I feel like I am heading into the New Year with more confidence, a new set of skills/tools, and a better plan for what I want my writing to look like. I can’t wait to see what opportunities present themselves this year and I hope you are here to be a part of them with me. To 2016 and a year of possibilities!
Month in Review
Retrospective: April
Looking back over April I’ve come to realize it was a pretty sparse month. I had big plans for the month (can anyone say a poem a day for National Poetry Month?) but I didn’t achieve many of them, just for lack of time. There was lots of visiting and travel this past month and I didn’t write every day or even blog every week. But I’ve come to realize that I need to allow myself the space to relax and enjoy the moment, rather than focus on what’s not getting done. I don’t want to look back and realize I missed out on some meaningful memories because I was so consumed with sticking to a schedule. I’ve mapped out the upcoming months a little bit better so that I can continue to be flexible while still completing the goals I set for myself back in January.
In April, despite a full schedule, I wrote 1,765 words, read This Is How You Lose Her, outlined three short story ideas, and started editing an abandoned NaNo novel which was in desperate need of an overhaul. Not a stellar month, but there was still a lot accomplished and I’m feeling pretty good about heading into the summer. It will be full of weddings and parties and late night fires; I just need to make sure it’s full of sentences too.
How do you balance a busy life with a creative life? What things have you given up to make space for your art form?
Katharine Brown 