Even my daughter, Sarrah, is thrilled. Our house is made of brown bricks so she’s calling it our “chocolate house”.
There is one downside to this. Sarrah is starting junior kindergarten in September – which means there will be no daycare or school for two months – just Sarrah and Mama building sandcastles and soaking in the sun.
If you have young children, you know things are not always fun and play. To take care of her, I will have to take a step back from work… which probably means no more blog posts. You’re going to miss me, right?
Why I’m Taking a Break from Work
To be completely honest, though, I’m looking forward to it. I love working on my books, but the marketing part is draining. I need a break… in the form of a four-year-old tornado.
I know many artists struggle with FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), and although I have tried my best to train myself out of it, it’s pretty much impossible to let it go entirely. I’m afraid of stopping work and missing opportunities. But I keep reminding myself… I’m an artist! My mind is always at work, absorbing ideas from the world around me. And rest is crucial for creativity!
How I Plan to Stay Creative This Summer
So, that’s what this summer will be all about. Although I won’t be creating a lot, I will keep a journal of ideas. And I’m genuinely excited to see what projects I end up working on in the fall by being fully present this summer.
Here are some techniques I use to write children’s stories from my own experiences:
- Journaling about obstacles I’ve overcome
- Recognizing my strengths and accomplishments
- Brainstorming and Speedwriting
- Writing from a 3rd person perspective
- Featuring myself as the hero
- Rewriting my story using metaphors so that it is age appropriate
I wrote a blog post for Laura’s Book and Blogs recently where I explain these techniques in more detail. You can check it out here.
What About You?
I hope you enjoyed reading this update on my life and work. I would love to hear from you too!
- Have you ever moved to a new place? How did it go?
- How do you balance work and family life?
- How do you stay creative when you take a break from work?
- What are your plans for this summer?
Please leave a comment below and let me know. Or you can email me at tdairywala@gmail.com.
You can also follow me on Facebook or Instagram for more updates and sneak peeks.
Happy summer! ❤
Tasneem Dairywala 