Secrets 8 & 9

(A post for The Next Chapter’s current book blogging of The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women by Gail McMeekin)

Because I had short responses to these two chapters, I’ve combined them into one post.

SECRET 8: SELECTING EMPOWERING PARTNERSHIPS AND ALLIANCES

Well, I don’t have much to say on this Secret, because at the moment, I don’t have any plans to partner up with anyone to do my art. I am deliberately creating by myself so that I spend time listening to the muse and seeing what comes forth. I’ve joined online groups for supportive community, but to me that’s different from a partnership/alliance. While I might decide to work with another person or persons in the future, for now I’m happy as a clam to be creating in my own little world. :-)

SECRET 9: TRANSCENDING REJECTIONS AND ROADBLOCKS

Another short one for me, since I have yet to put any art out there to be judged. What I am going to do, however, is to vividly mark this chapter to return to after I do start sending things out. Especially my manuscripts—I fully expect a steep learning curve when I start the rounds of rejections and sending out again and again and again. Almost seems to be a rite of passage for a writer. I think I’ll be more sensitive to rejection of my book(s), since I really do need a publisher to accept them in order to make a living from it. I could self-publish, but then getting the product seen & read & bought will be an uphill battle. As for art, I think I’ll start with small craft shows, and even if no one buys anything that won’t bother me as much, since I know I’ll eventually find someone who would like to buy a few pieces. Considering the crap I’ve seen sell (heh), I have faith that I can make stuff at least marginally better than that. ;-) I guess there is a difference in my sense of expectation of the two art forms: I think of writing as a possible “full income generating” medium, and art as a “if it sells, great, it’s extra money” medium. It’ll be interesting (to me) to see how this plays out/unfolds.