Monica Valentinelli
Take the Make Art Not War 2017 Challenge and Change Your World
Deadlines Still Eating Me... Slightly More Tolerable.
Deadlines have come and gone, and I have been shipping off manuscripts like craaaaaaazy. I've got a handful of projects to send before heading up to Minneapolis, MN for CONVergence, and a brand new Kickstarter I'll be telling you about soon! Plus... MORE D&D, stories, and a few other fun bits.
It feels really good to be back in the swing of things, and I'm hoping my summer cons won't impact my schedule too much. I've got four conventions, one seminar, plus a trip to RenFaire that I'm scheduling and spring cleaning from... Uh... Last year. The struggle is real, as is the hustle. And right now, I need to keep grooving so I have a body left to finish up some languishing projects I want to do for me. Working on it!
Hope you're all doing well!
Best,
- M
In the 06/29/2017 edition:
*|MC:TOC|*
MANW Check-In Week 26: YES, ARTISTS PERSIST!
By Monica Valentinelli on Jun 28, 2017 12:53 pm
Apologize for missing… Well, June’s updates! I have spent most of the month playing catch up on projects, Pokémon Go, and planning for conventions. Say what you will about Pokémon Go; it has been a lot of fun and we’ve been very motivated to go out, get active, and catch ’em all. That said, I have been shipping projects off to the next stage like crazy, which means more time for my own stuff and a slew of releases that’ll come out this year yet.
For today’s post, I want to talk about tips and tricks to help you persist and continue making art by tossing in some examples of what I did this month. Before I get started, I do want to highlight there’s a huge difference between making, promoting, and selling both your art and yourself as an artist. No two business practices are alike, and this is especially true if your primary income does not come from your creations. That’s okay, and that’s incredibly normal. There are dozens of business models to choose from, and what works for you may not work for someone else.
I understand the tendency or urge to compare yourself to other artists, but I often find that can be very damaging to all involved. Interacting with folks online can produce a slightly skewed view, because often artists present the best sides to themselves in order to avoid upsetting or steering fans away. I have mixed feelings about that, because while making art produces a lot of joy we are still human beings who have thoughts and opinions, good days and bad. I feel the only way to get past envy and jealousy, in particular, is to possess the confidence to be yourself and make more art.
After a while, you will find your own voice and way of doing things that won’t be reliant on anyone else’s approval — within reason. Art often has a lot of collaborative components to it, and knowing how to work and interact with other people is just as important as having the raw skill and talent. Learning how to deal with people is definitely its own job, especially in an era where the barrier between fans and creators is non-existent. Regardless, focusing on your art and establishing boundaries between you, other people, and the work is crucial to being persistent, because many pros produce art on a consistent basis in order to remain financially viable. To do that, you have to find the means to light a fire under your own butt. It’s hard, yes, but not impossible.
Okay, I want to walk you through some additional tips to help you persist!
1. Ask Yourself Why You Make Art. Whether you freewrite for half an hour or meditate on this thought for a while, knowing why you make art (outside of any financial obligations) can be a helpful reminder and gentle nudge to keep at it. I would even go so far as to make a series of definitive statements, and then edit them down to one mantra that you’ll make an art project for. I’m going to put this on my list, too! I often come up with a mantra for certain projects I work on, but beyond “bringing people joy” I haven’t thought about the whys and therefores and hows because being an artist is both something I do and who I am.
2. Identify What’s Bothering You and Get Help if Needed. Oh dear, this is a big ’un and a hard tip to personalize for you. So, I’m going to use myself as an example. I had spent quite a bit of time planning my project load for 2017, to make room for Make Art Not War but also my own projects and initiatives. As much as I did not want to admit it, I was overwhelmed and daunted to push forward on organizing. My beads were organized three or four different ways, and before I could inventory everything I needed to finish sorting through what I had. Ugh! Inspired by a dear friend, I decided to get help and invited someone close to me to tackle sorting with me. What would have taken me six months, due to the emotional baggage that comes from cleaning old messes, we did in two days. Now that I have a good headstart, I’ve been moving forward really quickly and even managed to start a bin for Etsy inventory! Huzzah!
3. Embrace a Mindful Quiet. We are bombarded with news, opinions, brand names, and information every day and, after a while, you hit information overload and you need a break. It’s okay to sit and be quiet for a little while, or meditate with an app like Headspace or Insight Timer. You’d be surprised how a little peace and quiet can work wonders for you. I am a musician by nature, and sensitive to sound. But, I’m also a writer and sensitive to words, too, which often translate as music in my head.
4. Be Gentle With Yourself. Say it with me: “It is okay to make a mistake.” You will screw up, and mistakes are normal! Only you can decide how grevious your error was, what steps you might take to rectify it, and who you need to make peace with or apologize to. It sucks, but you can’t affect anyone else’s actions or responses, unless they want to change. Certainly, fixing other people’s mistakes will add more to your plate that you probably don’t need. Being gentle with yourself, though, also relates to doing anything new. When you’re new, give yourself the opportunity to learn, to fail, and to learn from those mistakes. You got this!
5. Do Three Things That Make You Happy. If you’re already being too hard on yourself, analyzing how to move forward can be really taxing. I cannot stress the importance of doing things that make you happy, because you are a complex being with loads of thoughts and feelings, hopes and fears. It’s okay to be sad, to be frustrated with yourself, and take a break for a little while to get relief to move past it. You know yourself the best, but sometimes you need an excuse to be kind to your inner artist.
I’m sure you have other tips and tricks to help yourself keep at it. Good luck! And, more importantly, make some art!
Mood: Caffeinated.
Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: SO MANY
Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Hunting Pokemon
In My Ears: my Classical Aetherium playlist
Game Last Played: Pokémon Go
Book Last Read: Epic Fantasy anthology
Movie/TV Show Last Viewed: Harry Potter marathon
Latest Artistic Project: Make Art Not War 2017 Challenge and Rules
Latest Releases: In Volo’s Wake for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, Unknown Armies Books 1-3, and Kobold Guide to Gamemastering.
Current State of Projects: Read my latest project update. New project update coming when I get time.
An Immeasurable Loss of a Gaming Giant
By Monica Valentinelli on Jun 27, 2017 09:00 pm
I don’t know how to talk about the sudden and staggering loss of Stewart Wieck, if only because we started working together after he founded Nocturnal Media on Prince Valiant and Scarred Lands1. Of all the people in the industry, he has been a gentle bug in my ear, continually prompting me to put out my own game. Stew was incredibly kind and thoughtful, the type of person you wanted to work with. I will remember Stew for being enthusiastic about games and, more importantly, the people in it.
You’ll forgive me if I cut this post short, but I feel that whatever else I might say would be insufficient compared to those who knew him longer and better than I did. To better understand this tragedy, Rich Thomas from Onyx Path Publishing has put together a post called Goodbye, My Friend about Stew and their time together at White Wolf and beyond.
1. If you’ve come to this post seeking news about Scarred Lands, please know that this is a difficult time filled with grieving and decisions that have to be made by the family. The parties involved will make additional announcements as soon as they are able to. For my part, I am finishing up the development for Ring of Spiragos as planned, to round out the three adventures.
Mood: Indescribable. We’ve lost far too many in the RPG industry these past few years, and Stew was far too young.
Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Enough that I had a caffeine withdrawal today.
Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Hunting Pokemon
In My Ears: Harry Potter marathon
Game Last Played: Pokemon Go
Book Last Read: Epic Fantasy anthology
Movie/TV Show Last Viewed: Hunger Games.
Latest Artistic Project: Make Art Not War 2017 Challenge and Rules
Latest Releases: In Volo’s Wake for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, Unknown Armies Books 1-3, and Kobold Guide to Gamemastering.
Current State of Projects: Read my latest project update. New project update coming when I get time.
My Schedule for CONvergence 2017!
By Monica Valentinelli on Jun 27, 2017 05:10 pm
Hello!
I am happy to announce that my next convention will be CONvergence 2017 in sunny Minneapolis from July 6th through the 8th. This year, I have quite a few panels and am happy to announce my schedule today.
Thursday, July 6
3:30pm – 4:30pm DoubleTree Edina
Ready, Steady, Flash!
Four pro writers are given a phrase, around which they must each write a piece of flash fiction. Live, in front of the audience. They have 5 MINUTES in which to write it. At the end of each round the the audience votes on the best.
Panelists: Lee Harris, Paul Cornell, Joseph Scrimshaw, Monica Valentinelli, C. Robert Cargill
5:00pm – 6:00pm DoubleTree Atrium 4
It’s Been Written Before
Writing is hard. Many works fall back on the tropes and cliches that are common in the field. How do writers break out of those patterns, or at least freshen them up? Panelists: Emma Bull, John Seavey, Monica Valentinelli (mod), Jai Nitz, Lois McMaster Bujold
7:00pm – 8:00pm DoubleTree Plaza 1
Gaming as a Gateway Drug
How does gaming spur your interest in other topics? Did they get you into studying history, politics, technology or were you really going to pick up the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire for fun anyways?
Panelists: Kenneth Justiniano, Eric Zawadzki, Monica Valentinelli (mod)
Friday, July 7
2:00pm – 3:00pm DoubleTree Bloomington
Firefly At 15
Joss Whedon’s space western turns 15 this year. Is it shiny or would you toss it out an airlock? Come discuss the full canon: series, movie, and comics.
Panelists: Cetius d’Raven (mod), Mark Goldberg, Monica Valentinelli, Tex Thompson, Sean Berry
Saturday, July 8
2:00pm – 3:00pm DoubleTree Atrium 7
Why Dystopia is Not Dead
There is something about the dystopian/post-apocalyptic genre that keeps readers, TV, and movie fans coming back for more. What is it about the end of the world fiction that keeps us coming back? Is there an end in sight?
Panelists: Anthony Eichenlaub, J. Boone Dryden, Monica Valentinelli, George Miller (mod), Seanan McGuire
5:00pm – 6:00pm DoubleTree Bloomington
The Great Beyond: Discussing Death in Popular Culture
Is death in pop culture becoming more prevalent? If so, what does it mean for modern TV and film? What does it say about our times? Is this Joss Whedon’s fault? When is death used to best effect? Will a Marvel character ever stay dead?
Panelists: Emma Bull, Monica Valentinelli (mod), Jonah Rees, Gabriela Santiago, Justine Mastin, Emilie Peck
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