I LOVED reading through your week, Carolyn! My husband and I are self-employed/WFH and I have the ability to be flexy with my schedule, but I don't take advantage of it nearly as much as I'd like to. Thanks for letting us "tag along" with you—that was inspiring! I want to be intentional with my work, community connections, and how I seek out creative, beautiful experiences.
Oh as a fellow neurodivergent interoception is so interesting! Also I am very happy to read your substack as I find myself recently so obsessed with thinking about the act of creativity and inspiration and connecting all my many interests and obsessions somehow and channelling it into my art, but I kind of also feel lost and like I can’t find “my people” who would discuss these kinds of topics in depth?
I don’t know, I feel like I am blabbing and overthinking now. I guess I wanted to say: thank you for writing about these things 🩷
I also loved the guest interview about your week! I read Kate Zambreno's The Light Room (non-fic/essay style) this past winter after stumbling across it in the library and loved the way she wove art, research, and personal experience together - curious to hear more about Drifts now :)
One more thought: one of my projects has been hard for me to make progress on because it touches on a difficult (kinda traumatic) theme. I wonder if the min/max looks different for an emotionally tricky project…or may need to incorporate more self-soothing/self-care into the process? A question I’m chewing on.
I relate SO much to this - I’ve abandoned and come back to a memoir project several times because of this! Many possibilities for how to proceed…abstracting the work, putting it aside and letting time heal, plundering through by using the assumption that you won’t share it (until you’re done, after which you might change your mind)
Oh!! This essay is bringing up so many thoughts. I’m embarrassed to admit it but, as a parent, I feel very upset when the creative lightning strikes during my parenting time and I cannot just get up and follow the obsessive mood. Or when my obsessive mood still has more to be released but the timer goes off and I have to switch to adulting. And when I do have the rare chance to follow my mood and work for hours on end, I feel kind of hungover the next day. Wooooah. I’m curious to try the “drab dedication” and not rely so much on mood! Thanks for another fantastic, thought-provoking essay, Carolyn!
Oooh thanks for sharing this perspective! I imagine having that period interrupted would be very frustrating. The hangover is real - that’s what I am trying to avoid, tho it obv feels so great in the moment!
These ideas are so helpful right now, Carolyn...especially the "maximum time." I relate so much to all of the obstacles to making steady progress on a project after the initial hyperfocus. Thanks for sharing these thoughts!
Thank you for this reflection Carolyn! I got really excited about a pivot for my newsletter a few days ago and got absolutely consumed by trying to figure out the visuals. I love problem solving but the way poured all my energy into it has me feeling drained 😮💨
I’ve been in a “minimum time” mindset lately where I feel like I must make the most of the little personal time I have each day, so the maximum limit you’re talking about is a great reminder. It wasn’t even that long ago when I felt like there’s only so much I can create in a day - my sweet spot was 4-5 hours a day at the time, split across two or three projects.
I really enjoy reading about these honest feelings you have around your creative practice - thank you for sharing, as always!
This landed very close to home. I have written whole scenes while ignoring hunger, then blamed the scene, the children, and France in general, when really I just needed lunch and maybe to stop pretending my body was an intern.
I LOVED reading through your week, Carolyn! My husband and I are self-employed/WFH and I have the ability to be flexy with my schedule, but I don't take advantage of it nearly as much as I'd like to. Thanks for letting us "tag along" with you—that was inspiring! I want to be intentional with my work, community connections, and how I seek out creative, beautiful experiences.
Thank you Erika- It was a rare week where I was a lot more active than usual! I see you prioritizing those intentions already ❣️
Oh as a fellow neurodivergent interoception is so interesting! Also I am very happy to read your substack as I find myself recently so obsessed with thinking about the act of creativity and inspiration and connecting all my many interests and obsessions somehow and channelling it into my art, but I kind of also feel lost and like I can’t find “my people” who would discuss these kinds of topics in depth?
I don’t know, I feel like I am blabbing and overthinking now. I guess I wanted to say: thank you for writing about these things 🩷
Thank you Ania, and welcome! You’re in good company here ❣️
I also loved the guest interview about your week! I read Kate Zambreno's The Light Room (non-fic/essay style) this past winter after stumbling across it in the library and loved the way she wove art, research, and personal experience together - curious to hear more about Drifts now :)
Yesss I think you will love Drifts too! It has so many references to other books and art, woven with her (I mean, the “narrator”)’s life.
Gasp!!! Are these hand-painted graphics? I love how you design, Carolyn!
Yes - An honor coming from you!! TY Jenna!
One more thought: one of my projects has been hard for me to make progress on because it touches on a difficult (kinda traumatic) theme. I wonder if the min/max looks different for an emotionally tricky project…or may need to incorporate more self-soothing/self-care into the process? A question I’m chewing on.
I relate SO much to this - I’ve abandoned and come back to a memoir project several times because of this! Many possibilities for how to proceed…abstracting the work, putting it aside and letting time heal, plundering through by using the assumption that you won’t share it (until you’re done, after which you might change your mind)
Love all these possibilities!! Hm maybe that’s why I’m gravitating towards abstract expression these days!
Oh!! This essay is bringing up so many thoughts. I’m embarrassed to admit it but, as a parent, I feel very upset when the creative lightning strikes during my parenting time and I cannot just get up and follow the obsessive mood. Or when my obsessive mood still has more to be released but the timer goes off and I have to switch to adulting. And when I do have the rare chance to follow my mood and work for hours on end, I feel kind of hungover the next day. Wooooah. I’m curious to try the “drab dedication” and not rely so much on mood! Thanks for another fantastic, thought-provoking essay, Carolyn!
Oooh thanks for sharing this perspective! I imagine having that period interrupted would be very frustrating. The hangover is real - that’s what I am trying to avoid, tho it obv feels so great in the moment!
Floor and ceilings of time is a brilliant idea, I’ll be using this for sure, thank you so much! 🩷
These ideas are so helpful right now, Carolyn...especially the "maximum time." I relate so much to all of the obstacles to making steady progress on a project after the initial hyperfocus. Thanks for sharing these thoughts!
Thank you for this reflection Carolyn! I got really excited about a pivot for my newsletter a few days ago and got absolutely consumed by trying to figure out the visuals. I love problem solving but the way poured all my energy into it has me feeling drained 😮💨
I’ve been in a “minimum time” mindset lately where I feel like I must make the most of the little personal time I have each day, so the maximum limit you’re talking about is a great reminder. It wasn’t even that long ago when I felt like there’s only so much I can create in a day - my sweet spot was 4-5 hours a day at the time, split across two or three projects.
I really enjoy reading about these honest feelings you have around your creative practice - thank you for sharing, as always!
This landed very close to home. I have written whole scenes while ignoring hunger, then blamed the scene, the children, and France in general, when really I just needed lunch and maybe to stop pretending my body was an intern.