One way of finding new writing inspiration is to research quotes. There are quotes out there both funny and serious on just about every topic. Some are surprisingly hilarious. Others can inspire you to look deep within. Many offer ideas that just might hold they key to knowledge and healing.
What is interesting about today's article is the quote that inspired it was shared in a book I read, but is credited to a movie called Hope Floats. I had never heard of the movie, but loved the quote shared as it fell in line with the direction my thoughts had led me over the last few years to follow my passion and purpose. To not judge my work by how much money it brings it, or warp my writing to make it more commercial.
The line from Hope Floats went as follows, "You find something that you love, and then you twist it, and you torture it, try and find a way to make money at it. You spend a lifetime doing that. At the end you can’t find a trace of what you started out loving.” What a powerful statement. It leads me to think about the many times I have listened to someone sharing how lost they were feeling because they had strayed from their vision.
If you are following your passion and immersed work you love, that's a very good thing. I certainly am. But I have discovered it is important that I step back occasionally and look where I am headed. It's easy to be swayed by the court of public opinion and the lure of financial gain. I want to say right now, earning money is great, and I welcome any financial rewards that come my way. At the same time, I need to be sure to keep my work authentic. If I get a whiff that I have lost my way and my writing no longer is from my heart, I pause, refocus, and purposely being again.
How do you find a balance between the need to offer authentic work you are proud of, and the need to generate an income? It is a balancing act. There are a lot of quotes around that state if you just focus on doing what you love the money will come. I don't know if I free this is always true, all the time. We need to understand the business side of our work, especially if we have to live on the money generated by it. We need to find a way to navigate that side of our work in a way that feels on brand for us, and in a way we are comfortable with.
Although I understand the principles of marketing and promotion, and am pretty solid working the basics, I don't enjoy doing dealing with the business side of being an author. I am fortunate my writing does not need to provide me with a living income. That helps take the pressure off and lets me turn my mind to what I feel works for me, and what doesn't. I love the quote that talks about not chasing butterflies, but instead building and tending your own garden will lure them to you. As I approach marketing, I try to keep this idea in mind.
Reels are a new direction I am trying and I've only made a few so far. In them I read an excerpt from a book or a poem I wrote - so uncomfortable at this point, but but very on brand. Will this turn out to be a great new PR direction? I don't know. The verdict isn't in yet. A few years ago I also started and photo editorial book series where I took creative images of me with my books. They were well received, but I ran out of ideas. Perhaps I will start it up again, but get random people at events to hold them and pose.
The goal I keep in mind as I try to improve my marketing and promotion efforts is to make sure I stay firmly connected to who I am as a creative and the work I am passionate about. As long as I keep on track, I am excited to see my work grow and change and find new directions. I don't want to get stuck in the proverbial rut. I just want to make sure however I move forward as an artist, what I create to continues to be a true reflection of my hopes and dreams for myself and the world.
If you need a living wage, keeping your work resisting the pull to compromise your vision will be hard. Perhaps some small compromises are the right choice. Remember, though, that you don't want to loose the vision that set you on this path and find years down the road every glimmer of what inspired you has been disappeared. Balance, faith, a commitment to learning, a willingness to look for unique alternatives, and a refusal to value your work only in terms of dollars are essential.
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| Book Illustration by Julianna Swaney |
Just in case you are struggling with self doubt at this time, I want to remind you that you matter. Your work matters. The world needs your vision and your passion. Don't give up.
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