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Insights into the writing life of an exhausted mom of four 8 and under. |
Finally coming back to WDC after a LONG hiatus… it feels really good! I’m already starting to meet some new people I didn’t know before. I’m also regularly updating two of my stories (my mermaid fantasy novel, "Kingdom of Illusion (COMPLETE)"  , and my Disney crossover fanfiction "God Help The Outcasts: COMPLETE" ), as well as working on the sequel to Kingdom of Illusion. I’m also publishing some of my stories to Wattpad and Royal Road, but a lot of my stories/snippets will stay exclusive to WDC. I’m only really publishing the more complete or edited stuff to those other sites. What else is new? My youngest is now almost 2 (will be 2 this Friday!). I’ve got a new office/craft studio setup in my bedroom, with mostly galaxy themed decor. I’m finally out of my years-long postpartum depression and have definitely got my writing groove back in a big way. I fully realize my energy might take a nosedive in the future, if any other kiddos decide they’d like to come along  But I’m fully enjoying being in full possession of my creative energy once again. It’s been so long since I’ve felt so inspired and creative.One thing I’m doing with my creative energy is monetizing it by way of ghostwriting. As per the nature of ghostwriting, I can’t share really any details of my work, other than that I’m writing a young adult fantasy series AND I’m having a great time doing it. It’s amazing, because I’m putting out 10K+ words a week, a figure I could have never imagined even a year ago. On top of that, I’m filming videos for my YouTube channel (Color and Plan With Aly) and working on my own stories, mostly as a fun way to relax and stretch my creativity outside of my ghostwriting work. As far as hobbies go, I’m really into art right now, especially watercoloring and just regular coloring, which is what I talk about on my YouTube channel. I also do what’s called “pretty planning” where you decorate your planner’s weekly spread with various types of themes. I have been doing the planning for years now, and have finally got somewhat of a system going which is keeping me productive AND creative without obsessing too much over my stickers or wash tape (or awful handwriting haha). Another hobby I REALLY enjoy is stargazing. I purchased a telescope and a pair of binoculars last year, and it’s probably been the number one thing that has brought me out of my postpartum depression and back into my zone of creativity. It requires nothing of me except that I go outside and look up. I’ve already learned so much about the differences between skies in each season, what constellations to look for, and when the planets typically can be seen. I can now go outside pretty much any time of year and know what I’m going to see and where things are in the sky, which gives me such a sense of stability and peace. I know where I am in the universe. I know where the Earth is, and I know what lies beyond the reaches of our atmosphere. I’ve seen the beautiful band of the Milky Way twice now, which is a feat considering I live on the East coast where light pollution abounds. Just this quiet, meditative practice of going outside for 15 minutes on a clear night and pointing out the stars and constellations I know brings my anxiety levels WAY down and helps me feel more restful and creative. One big astronomy event this year was the total lunar eclipse in May. I thought clouds were going to ruin the show, but I got just enough of a clearing to see the moon turn coppery red through my binoculars. Such a cool experience. Not as cool as the total solar eclipse we got to see in 2017, right before my oldest was born. There will be another total solar eclipse in 2024, and the path of totality cuts pretty close to us once again, which is pretty awesome. I feel like it has to be somewhat rare that that happens twice in such a short span of time. I also do some singing on a karaoke app called Smule. That’s a great way to relax and wind down in the evening, especially when the skies are cloudy and I can’t stargaze. I actually minored in voice when I was in college, and music is just another way I express my creativity, so it’s nice to have that as well. As far as my own personal writing goes, I have so many ideas running through my brain now that I can’t keep track of them. All the self care I did when my youngest was in his first year is really paying off. I did nothing but reinvest in creative hobbies and indulge in the things I hadn’t been able to do for years due to depression. We even went on vacation right before he turned a year old, and that was the first time I saw the Milky Way, on my birthday, actually. And now that my well has been refilled, I’m bursting with new ideas and projects that all want to be done at the same time.  That can be a problem for an overachiever like me, but it’s a good problem, and I wouldn’t trade it for the depression for any amount of money.So anyway. That’s been how my last couple years have been. I’m really happy to be back on WDC and actually updating my stories and adding new ideas. Lots of WIPs right now, including another Disney fanfiction, the second and third books in my Kingdom series, that Lion Heart story I started, gosh, 12 years ago? And other things that are still just nebulous ideas awaiting more material in my brain. How are things going for you and your writing? Let me know in the comments below—I do my best to respond to every single one, and I love hearing from you guys.  AlyCatAuthor |
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