Behind the Mirror

It’s been a little while since my last post, and I’ve been meaning to sit down and write something. The truth is, life has been keeping me occupied, and finding the energy to return to my creative projects has been a little more difficult than expected.

Over the past few weeks, work has picked up, family has needed more attention, and somewhere in between, my creative motivation seems to have taken a little vacation of its own.

Not that I’m complaining about family time. Anyone who has spent time with a three-year-old knows they come with their own schedules, opinions, and occasional meltdowns. My grandson has been going through a difficult phase, and with his dad being away, he’s having a hard time understanding that the separation is temporary. At that age, a few days can feel like an eternity.

Then came the late-season hurricane scare, followed by the familiar retail panic that seems to happen whenever a major weather event approaches. Anyone who has worked retail knows what happens next. Overtime becomes the norm, corporate starts hitting the panic button, and everyone scrambles to prepare.

Thankfully, my son-in-law was able to get things situated so he could come and get his family.

I thought once things settled down, my motivation would return. I’d get back to writing, creating, and working on the projects that have been sitting patiently on my computer.

But here I am, a few days later, still struggling to find my way back to the keyboard.

Between working two jobs, getting the house back in order, and preparing for some future changes, there never seems to be enough hours in the day. The funny thing is that the ideas haven’t stopped coming. They arrive while I’m working, driving, or trying to get some much-needed rest.

Inspiration has a rather inconvenient sense of timing!

Small Steps Are Still Progress

Although the creative side of things has slowed down, that doesn’t mean nothing is happening.

I’ve been working on the re-release of Far From Oz. I recently purchased Atticus to handle the formatting, and I have to say, I’m pleased with the results.

Previously, I used Microsoft Word to format my books. While it worked, I always seemed to discover little inconsistencies once the print copies arrived. Fonts, spacing, and other formatting details didn’t always turn out the way I intended.

Atticus has made that process much cleaner. The formatting is consistent, the fonts are uniform, and those who have compared the older version with the new copies have noticed the difference.

It’s a small improvement, perhaps, but one that gives me a little more confidence in presenting my work.

I’m now working on transferring Falling From Neverland into Atticus and making a few small additions to help tie together the timeline.

As for the creative content, I’ve decided to revisit some of my trailers and start fresh with them.

Rather than immediately attempting something elaborate, I want to take smaller steps. Reworking the trailers allows me to experiment, learn, and build confidence before tackling something bigger.

Sometimes the best way forward is to stop looking at the entire mountain and concentrate on the next step.

Learning Where My Strengths Lie

Something else has been on my mind lately.

I’ve spoken with a few people who share similar creative ambitions. Interestingly, we seem to have something in common. We spend far too many hours working jobs that pay the bills but leave very little energy for the things we’d truly like to create.

We have ideas, plans, and ambitions, but finding the time and resources to bring them to life can be challenging.

Still, I find something encouraging about those conversations. Perhaps it’s a reminder that there are others out there trying to accomplish similar things. Maybe, just maybe, these connections are leading somewhere.

One thing I’ve come to understand is that I don’t have to do everything myself.

For a long time, I’ve wanted to learn every aspect of the creative process. Writing, editing, illustrations, video production, sound, and all the technical details that come with bringing an idea to life.

It’s wonderful to understand how these things work, but I’ve also had to acknowledge where my strengths lie.

My greatest strength is storytelling.

I know how to build worlds, develop characters, and bring ideas to life through words. I enjoy learning how the visual elements come together, but computers and the technical side of production aren’t necessarily where my talents shine.

And that’s okay.

Perhaps the next step isn’t learning to do everything. Perhaps it’s finding the right people who understand my vision and have the skills to help bring it to life.

That requires a little trust, and if I’m being honest, letting go of some control hasn’t always come naturally.

But I’m learning.

There is something freeing about recognizing that collaboration doesn’t diminish what you create. It can make it better.

I don’t need to be the person behind every detail. I need to be able to communicate the story I want to tell and surround myself with people who can help me see it through.

Until the Next Chapter

I still have plenty of ideas to explore. Stories to finish, trailers to create, and projects that I hope will eventually grow into something much bigger.

I don’t know exactly when everything will fall into place, but I’m trying not to measure my progress by how quickly I accomplish things.

Life has its own demands, and sometimes those demands have to come first.

So, for now, I’ll keep taking the smaller steps. I’ll keep learning, creating when time allows, and looking for opportunities to connect with others who share that same creative spark.

To everyone who continues to follow along, read my posts, and support my work, thank you. Your patience and encouragement mean a great deal.

Creativity comes in so many forms, and I’m grateful not only to create but also to witness what others bring into the world. Whether it’s writing, music, artwork, photography, or something entirely different, there is something special about seeing another person’s imagination take shape.

I hope I never lose that appreciation.

And I hope that somewhere along this journey, something I create will encourage someone else to pursue an idea they’ve been holding onto.

Until then, I’ll keep finding my way.

One idea, one connection, and one small step at a time.