Beating My Creator’s Block: a.k.a FEAR

Hello everyone out there! You haven’t seen much of me in a while and there are a few reasons for that. I could say that it’s because I didn’t know what to write, the fact that I was completing final exams (even redoing some), because I’m mentally exhausted, or that I’m just creatively blocked. However, I believe that I have let fear keep me from communicating with you all. I am trying to create three stories right now. Additionally, I am still trying to figure out the meaning of them all, as well as what I want to say and how I want to say it.

In my about page, I talk about storytelling in unconventional color. With these two stories I’m trying to tell, I am trying to literally be color-inclusive with a predominately colored cast of characters in a fantasy world, which means I am also trying my hand at fantasy world-building, which is a battle in itself. Additionally, I am trying to figure out the medium in which I want to convey this story. A novel, illustrated novel, animation, etc. However, in creating this blog, I inadvertently let my perfectionism and fear keep me from posting content because I wanted my work to be the best, but I was also afraid it wasn’t the best. Therefore, I dumped myself into a cycle of chronic overthinking. I want you guys to see my missteps and rethinking as much as I want to encourage people creatively. The reason is that so many of us think the process of being a creator should be easy or have flow, but sometimes the flow is blocked by a dam or the idea doesn’t pan out.

At my college, we have something called a Bachelor’s Essay, which is a year-long project that a student undertakes. It involves a whole semester of research and a whole semester of writing an essay. Students pick the topic and work with a faculty member to bring it to life, as well as keep the BE on track. I probably won’t be doing my BE this coming academic year (2017-2018), but I do plan on doing it (2018-2019). My Drawing professor already approached me about my work and how she believes it leans towards illustration, so I’m looking at a writing a book for my BE based on of my three story ideas (surprise, surprise.). However, she, like others before her, says that she sees a children’s book in me. The thing that frightens me is that the stories I have been writing seem to be in the Teen/Young Adult arena. I have never attempted to write a children’s book or illustrate one. This is a whole new arena and my gripe is that I have no idea what to say! Even though most of my favorite stories are from my childhood bingeing of Disney and Pixar, I still have no idea what to do. I am literally clueless and am ravaging Pinterest like a mad woman when I’m not staring at Scrivener.

I say all of this to tell you that I am going to do my best to show you more of my content and bring you into my amateur process of creating and inspiration. It’s scary being a creator because there’s not always some calculated formula you follow. Sometimes, you make up new methods or you break the rules. I hope to show you my projects as they develop in the months to come.