Hello friends!
I’m an artist, actor, and writer, almost completely right brained, and lucky to make a living from
things I’d be doing for fun, anyway. How well of a living varies from week to week, and that’s
part of the adventure.
I’ve got two passion projects on my calendar this year: illustrating a children’s book I wrote over
twenty years ago, and narrating and publishing a novel I wrote (as well as creating a cover
design for it). These are enormous undertakings to try and squeeze in around my actual, bill-
paying work and personal obligations, so the first thing I have to remind myself to do is, be nice
to myself. I might have bitten off more than I can chew, and that’s okay.
One of the greatest things about the HOB’s leader Elizabeth, is her ability to motivate others to
do things that are scary or out of their comfort zones. When something I really want to
accomplish feels overwhelming to me, Liz is my first call. Even if it’s in an area unfamiliar to her,
she helps me envision the actionable steps I need to do, in a way that leaves me feeling excited
and motivated instead of like hiding under the ottoman.
Let’s start with the children’s book.
The first thing I did was zero in on how many pages I wanted the book to be. Then, I figured out
where I wanted the text to land within those pages. After that, I created a worksheet of the
illustrations for each of those pages; it literally says thing like “she’s in a pirate costume here,
pointing her sword to the next page”.
That way, I’m not punching in the dark, but thinking of the illustrations and the text as a whole,
symbiotic relationship that will entice a child to keep turning pages to see what happens next.
Next, I created a calendar for myself that tells me what I’d like to have done each week, each
month, and each quarter for the year. My goal at the start, was to have completed one
illustration a week, in the order they will appear in the book.
It’s been about six weeks, and I’ve already missed my self-imposed deadline twice. And that’s
okay! Progress, not perfection. I’m still thinking about it, I haven’t shoved it into a drawer and
forgotten about it, and I’m not avoiding it. If all I can manage certain weeks is to sharpen my
pencil and stare at a blank sheet of paper, it’s all part of the process.
One thing I won’t do is move on to a different illustration before the scheduled one is finished.
That’s rigid, but that’s me. That’s where my ‘right brain’ gives way to the left; having
parameters and structure frees my creativity up to do its thing within that framework.
My dad was a writer, professionally. He always said “I can’t afford writer’s block.” Even when he
didn’t feel like it, he just did it, because he had a wife and nine kids who needed him to. I’m not in that position, but I’m so grateful that I had him as a role model for personal discipline. I made my goals big enough that I can see real progress, and small enough to at least attempt to hit
them—but those attempts still take discipline. Sometimes I have to remind myself that the
laundry or dirty windows will still be there later, and for me, the feeling of having Done The
Thing is so much better than whatever else I could’ve allowed to hijack my time.
I’m still going to shoot for completing an illustration every week, but I’ll congratulate myself if I
get anything done at all. Having this outline ensures I’ll move the needle at least a little bit, and
eventually I’ll have a fully illustrated book. I will not be lying in the cemetery regretting never
having done it, and setting smaller, definable goals with the caveat of not beating myself up if I
don’t hit every deadline, ensures my journey to the cemetery will be more pleasant.
What’s something you’ve always wanted to do, but couldn’t see how to get started? Are you an
outline person, a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants person, or maybe you don’t know, and need
help finding out?
To purchase Katie McCollow’s art work tap below⤵️
