As writers, we always say something like, "Man, I wish I had time to write. If I did, nothing would stop me."
What happens when, oh, a medical pandemic arises, forcing you to stay in place?
Crickets.
And for many of us, no writing.
Although I see a plethora of memes every day telling me that I need to hustle hard and that I'm a slacker if I'm not using this time to grind and write, overall, I have not practiced self-loathing over not writing a book a day during this pandemic.
I've been doing some writing--on social media, and I've been an editing queen, but for the most part, I've used this time to develop another talent: designing digital products to help keep people organized and "planned-up."
This talent has morphed into a new Etsy shop, #HUGSlove Studios.
For the shop, I create digital planners, planner pages, and stickers.
I've created journals for writing self-care love notes and for journaling your coffee- and tea-sipping experiences.
I've created planners and planner pages that help people keep track of to-dos, habits, savings, budget, meal planning and shopping, and more.
I've created stickers that people can use in their bullet journals and regular planners.
I thoroughly enjoy coming up with new products, sketching them out, determining dimensions and colors, and then hopping on the computer to create and perfect. Doing so keeps me calm, happy, and productive.
There are a million and one things I could list in a CONS column regarding our world's current events, but being able to express my creativity in this fashion would never land in that column.
If you are interested in digital planning, be sure to check out my shop, #HUGSlove Studios on Etsy!
What happens when, oh, a medical pandemic arises, forcing you to stay in place?
Crickets.
And for many of us, no writing.
Although I see a plethora of memes every day telling me that I need to hustle hard and that I'm a slacker if I'm not using this time to grind and write, overall, I have not practiced self-loathing over not writing a book a day during this pandemic.
I've been doing some writing--on social media, and I've been an editing queen, but for the most part, I've used this time to develop another talent: designing digital products to help keep people organized and "planned-up."
This talent has morphed into a new Etsy shop, #HUGSlove Studios.
For the shop, I create digital planners, planner pages, and stickers.
I've created journals for writing self-care love notes and for journaling your coffee- and tea-sipping experiences.
I've created planners and planner pages that help people keep track of to-dos, habits, savings, budget, meal planning and shopping, and more.
I've created stickers that people can use in their bullet journals and regular planners.
There are a million and one things I could list in a CONS column regarding our world's current events, but being able to express my creativity in this fashion would never land in that column.
If you are interested in digital planning, be sure to check out my shop, #HUGSlove Studios on Etsy!
What are YOU doing for yourself during this so-called "down" time?
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| Shonell Bacon is an author, editor, and educator with 20 years of experience in helping all levels of writers become better writers. When not editing, Shonell is writing (mysteries, literary, non-fiction) and crafting digital products for people who love planning and organizing their lives. You can learn more about Shonell and her works on her Linktree page. |
I've been working on unfinished old projects which involves mostly editing and getting out-of-print stuff back online with the original cover art. It has proved impossible to focus on writing anything new of novel length. I can sure concentrate on TV or a good novel though.
ReplyDeletePat, I have been the same way with TV--mostly with streaming shows and videos that I've enjoyed in the past.
DeleteI, too, find writing focus to be elusive. Quite frankly, I'm bored as well as uninspired to dig into my own projects. I still do some editing and now plan a trip to Etsy to visit your shop for new inspiration. Writing in a journal intrigues me. As a kid I kept a diary for a couple years but never transitioned into journaling of any kind as an adult. Maybe it's time to rethink that, including some self-love to recharge my batteries. After all, it's not possible to truly love others if we don't love ourselves.
ReplyDeleteThat is my main idea, Linda--that we can't fully love others if we don't first fully love ourselves. <3
DeleteI'm so impressed, Shonell. What a wonderful way to express yourself, and sell things too. There are some writers who are turning out the books. Others, like me, are finishing one though it's taking lots more time than it should. I love how you've turned lemons into lemonade.
ReplyDelete