Title is a play on a quote by J.R.R. Tolkien and a book by Traci Rhoades
I’ve just come out of a 16-month season of really giving my all to my writing career. I was blogging every week, pitching my book proposal to literary agents, writing a monthly newsletter, trying to play the social media game, and starting a podcast. Plus trying to hit my Goodreads goal and keeping up with my day job and going through some personal things like moving to a new house and new city. It was a lot, and I experienced real burnout and feelings of failure. I’ve talked about this a lot recently, so I’m not going to dwell on it too much. I just want to let you know where I’m at, and where I’m headed.
Now I’m in a season of grace.
I do not have a Goodreads goal this year; in fact, I’ve only read one book this month, which is an all-time low from my past few years. I’m not pitching to agents anymore, actually, I’m kind of taking a break on that book project for now. I’m not playing the social media game anymore and am indeed losing followers. Now I think it’s time to step back from the blog and newsletter. I’m not sure if my mental capacity can handle weekly posts and monthly emails. I’ve officially run out of blog ideas, and there’s not much to update my subscribers on each month.
Am I quitting?
No! I’m still a writer and subcreator at heart, and that’s not going away any time soon. I believe God gave me this gift and passion and I must use it to the best of my ability to serve Him and His people. But now might not be the time, and I need to focus on my own health. Plus, if I tried to keep it up, I would not be producing quality content for you all to enjoy. 100% it would be nonsense. So I’m giving myself grace to not have to have regular writing pieces to share.
Here’s what I am doing…
I am still keeping up with weekly 11ses podcasts. I just started this show in November and I am loving it so much. I’m still getting to flex my writing muscles while preparing for episodes, and then I just get to talk with people I love about stories I love. If you haven’t checked it out yet, please do, on your favorite podcast app or at this link. Doing this work brings me joy and, honestly, editing audio is weirdly mind-numbingly soothing, so it gets to stay.
I am still a part of a group of writers who encourages me to continue to grow in my craft. We check in every week and have Zoom calls every month, and they will make sure I never truly quit. In fact, we met yesterday and they encouraged me that writing is not just about putting pen to paper. I can read and research and daydream, but also flex other creative muscles (so I may or may not be picking up some of my instruments again).
I am still planning on releasing my major projects for FREE to my email subscribers. Did you hear that? There is now no longer an annoying monthly email, but there will be free content available to those who subscribe to my email list. You’ve literally got nothing to lose by subscribing now. Then you will be first to read my big projects, and first to know if and when something changes from this current plan I’m laying out.
I am still going to write blogs and send emails if necessary, but I’m no longer holding myself to weekly and monthly standards. If I have a thought I want to put into words, you may get a surprise blog on Monday. If I have a major project ready to share, you may get an email in your inbox. Don’t worry— I’m not disappearing completely!
I am still trying to feature fellow writers as much as I can. So if you are interested in some support, please get in touch with me! There are now plenty of spots available for guest blogs, and I’m also looking for podcast guests as well. If you have a piece of literature you want to discuss, or a story you want to share, I’d love to have you (this is for anyone— not just writers!).
And finally, I am still figuring out my story. I’m still living it, as a matter of fact. I think I may need to do some more thinking about who my niche is, about what my first book is, about my career goals and five year plan. I’m not going anywhere, I’m just taking some time to rethink and strategize before I over-commit myself. And that’s okay. I know my writing journey has been an absolute roller coaster, but I really do appreciate you being along for the ride.
If you like what you read, share it with your friends. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @kdsubcreations. Subscribe to my email list to receive monthly emails including blog highlights, book recommendations, updates on my writing projects, and the occasional free perk. Thank you so much for coming on this journey with me.
Keela Dee Subcreations 
Leave a comment