the fun kind of grind

My youtube content watching is often highly discursive.  Music, obviously, since I use it more than spotify to create playlists. Also, plus size fashion influencers, home decor, thrifting hauls, and studio blogs are some of my favorites. I also love writer or artist day in the lifes, general writing content about the process of writing (even for writers whose actual work I am not yet familiar with.) Even the self-publishing vlogs are sometimes useful coming from fiction writers, despite the vast difference of that experience from poetry, because it makes me think of things in new ways, particularly about promotion and marketing. (There aren't that many by poets, and if they are, the advice is usually nothing new you can't get in a million other places.)  I also like writing routine videos, and just general book discussion content. Despite my lack of reading for the past three years since covid punched a hole in my good concentration, I like adding books to my TBR that I hope to get to--or at the very least, listen to via audiobooks while I work.  I also like some creators who just have pretty and cozy scenes and interesting things to look at. They're good for when I'm breaking for lunch or dinner, when I'm making books that occupy my hands, or just looking to stop writing for a bit and need a break.

Today, I was watching one creator who is big on slow living--about letting go of the expectations of grinding away, staying off social media, and not having to produce. To just be. This idea will usually send my practical Taurean heart rolling her eyes endlessly since it takes a lot of privilege and financial comfort to just BE in the world, with its capitalism and, ya know, fear of starving to death. It's a luxury most of us do not have.  It's also, even as artists, if those needs are met, you sometimes have to get things out there and communicate that you even exist. Unless you are just writing for yourself, which very few people do. I also realize the irony of telling people to avoid platforms on a platform that they make money from. Probably a lot. Outside of that, the videos are sometimes enjoyable and soothing and I keep watching while thinking to myself that it must be nice. I like the idea, though am not always sure how that translates. Also, I really like social media most of the time. Also, what does one DO instead?  Barring things like recharging or socializing, which are important, I find when I am not working on creative projects, in particular, I usually rather would be.

Today, that vlogger was quickly followed in my subscriptions by a video of one of the more productive horror authors I follow (who also does poetry which is how I found her channel.) She has really good and practical tips, which while they don't usually apply to poetry the way they do fiction, I've found some good advice therein--today including a new software, Scrintal, that, kind of like Notion, allows you to form boards and link cards in a similar way to things like Trello and Asana that I use for freelance stuff. But in a pinboard-looking format you can move around. 

As someone who has spent nearly a decade at this point with my trusty physical sketchbook and post-its form (a modification of a thing my boss once tried to implement for our dept, bullet journals, and a number of different formats of to-do lists.)  In there, the week is parceled out, things can be moved back and forth. It also helps me keep track on a couple of page spread of where I am in regard to different stages of chapbook layout and design. I also use it to keep track of freelance stuff, and store ideas for the future on writing, art, and stories to pitch. It was tremendously also useful for library projects when I was there, all of which involved a lot of moving parts in planning and promotion to keep track of. It replaced my hastily jotted daily to-dos and made me feel like I had a better scope of an entire week or month at the ready without losing track of things I needed for later.  It easily doubled my productivity when I started doing it in 2014, even on mundane things. It was also great because I could carry it around wherever I needed it. I think about the time before that and it was a shoddy system of e-mail folders, to-lists I kept losing track of, and chaos. 

Since I am a little less on the move, I'd been thinking of doing something different and on-screen, largely since post-its get lost and stuck to other things (including cats.) I also keep spending money on them and cleaning up a trail of discarded ones near the trash. I also occasionally jot something down quickly and later it makes no sense or my speedy handwriting makes it illegible.  I watched as the Youtuber moved around and linked together her cards, which almost seemed like tiny electronic post-its, but a more modern and deluxe version, and I was sold. (there was also a discount involved.) It seems particularly good for press operations and keeping track of where I am in those process timelines, which right now, as I struggle to get a handle on late books and get ready to start the new series in July, is gonna be a beast. I currently have about 6-7 in the air.  Also, goal tracking and social media content planning. I spent the afternoon today, creating boards and projects and so far, so good. I can install the app wherever I need it and it's pretty intuitive to use. The order muppet that lives inside me approves.

As for slow living, I think I have a better state of moving toward that now than I ever did working away from home and by my own schedule. I have time for cooking (yay), cleaning (boo) and playing with the cats and napping (double yay) I always have more time for streaming movies before bed and walks and just futzing around. There is more definitely time and a more amenable schedule for date nights and other outings. But the rest of the time, I still like the grind, especially if its a fun, creative kind of grind in which I am enormously productive (and, if not esp. creative, at least paid well).

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