Another month gone… Things have been hard, busy, and intense this past month. I’m really looking forward to the summer, in terms of not having to worry about classes. On the downside, I will be unemployed, and that’s an added worry, in terms of my stress level. Not sure how I’m gonna eat, let alone pay my rent over the summer, but I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
(Shameless plug: if you want to help reduce the chances I’ll be homeless/starve this summer, I’d love any form of support you can offer. Seriously.)
Anyway, onto the Groundhog Day Goals May check-in!
Goals:
- Make regular money from writing
- Subgoal: Small press solvency
- Schedule self-care and practice self-love
- Solidify my graduate degree path, and apply to grad school
Month in Review:
What worked?
1) I’m making a bit contributing regularly to Black Girl Dangerous (here’s my latest piece up there). It’s not a ton of money, but it’s something. I’m still writing a bit for a local non-paying pub, and I wrote some new poetry during National Poetry Writing Month (April) that I can start sending out for potential publication. I managed to make some book sales as part of the Art Market & Exchange at the Queer Students of Color Conference (which, by the way, was super amazing! QSOCC = ❤️❤️❤️), thanks to my savvy investment of $10 in a Square card reader. Overall, this one is definitely work-in-progress status.
•) Subgoal: Sent out contracts, got in touch with the prospective cover artist, began working on interior design and flow. Feeling pretty good on finishing this book. (Knock on wood…) Also, launched a fundraiser for the press.
2) Scheduled my first self-care day! It’s this upcoming Saturday, and I am fully devoted to not doing anything resembling work. Tentative plan: binge-watch Elementary, read something for fun, knit on some in-progress knits. Might even make flan, like I’ve been wanting to. Also, got all of my homework organised to keep me on track until the end of the term. As long as I follow the schedule, my stress and anxiety should go down a little.
3) No update.
What didn’t?
1) Book sales have petered off. This is largely a function of my exhaustion, but also part of my eternal struggle with asking for help or selling myself. I need to work on putting my work out there, on asking folks directly to buy.
•) The fundraiser has had a… *ahem, lackluster response. Again, this is probably at least partially attributable to my reticence about selling myself. With half the time elapsed and a full plate, it’s highly unlikely I’ll reach my goal. Going to have to look into other avenues, I guess. (Small business grant, maybe?)
2) I’ve definitely been struggling to protect my sleep. The effects of not enough sleep are highly noticeable. Gotta get back on top of this.
3) No update.
Planning the Next Month:
What am I working on going forward?
1) More book promotion, look at places to approach personally about carrying my work. Pitching a couple ideas I’m working on to paying publications, and maybe write an essay or two. Figure out where would be best to get book reviews, and get the book reviewed.
•) I’m going to create some fliers and promo images for the Indiegogo, and I’ll probably make another fundraiser when this one expires. I also have to create a preorder mechanism for the anthology. I’m also going to look at what’s holding me back from reaching out one-to-one, and see if I can get around it. And looking into other funding avenues.
2) More self-care days, more organisation, more sleep.
3) Stasis.
Capitalism is kicking my bum, y’all. (Shameless plug #2: not kidding, any support you can give will be greatly appreciated.) If I seem a little frantic over the next month, reminding me to breathe and asking if I’ve eaten recently won’t go amiss, especially as Mercury heads into retrograde. Everything feels big and scary right now, and I’m liable to be a little fragile until Mercury stations direct again (June 11th!).
Okay, deep breath. Here we go.
See all of the Groundhog Day Resolutions posts here.
Tessara Dudley, Poet-Publisher-Educator-Activist 