Is it really procrastinating if I am doing other projects in the meanwhile?
I feel like that's a topic for another post. Perhaps a post on Patreon? What? Did you not know? I finally took the dive and dared to ask patrons to pay me for my nonsense. Let's see how that goes.
So far what I have learned about Patreon is that it will be another Social Media mouth to feed. It may also be the thing that gets me to get hopping on more videos and virtual classes. And, it might even help pay the bills. Basically it's just one more Czep hustle with the hopes that I and my skills are worth a damn to anyone.
It has led me to really start asking what the value of my skill sets are. I have oodles of people constantly telling me that I am a great dancer, instructor, writer, etc. But when I really look at how many of them are willing to support any of that the list gets a whole lot shorter.
Here's a little story: (With names omitted)
I have a student who is pretty consistent about coming to the classes that are donation or trade. This student offers the bare minimum of time and energy to classes and learning choreography. They talk a big game about helping and giving back, but on most occasions they are absent for the heavy lifting. This is fine. There's always a couple of students who don't understand the value of the education they are receiving or how fortunate they are to have an instructor willing to take trades of food or other trinkets to pay for the time and energy offered.
Nope. That's all the price of building a community.
The issue arises when the same students who are eager to take without balancing the cosmic checkbook suddenly start asking to be paid themselves. Umm... do we need to renegotiate our terms here, because seems to me there is a pretty heavy tilt to this scale.
Sometimes I feel like posting the prices of everything I do if I were a hard ass about things. Because yeah, that hour of dance instruction, that's $20-$40 depending who you ask. The tarot readings, $45 a pop easy. How about the promotion and advertising my coattails are offering?
This got way more ranty than I planned, but hey, I'm allowed one every now and again.
I guess the whole point though is; if you love your friends, pay them what they are worth. If you are just around for free access that's not a friendship. And if you are using people, at least don't turn around and say they can't turn the table on you.
All the love to those who do offer me payment in cookies, eggs, project help, rides, trinkets, coffee, lunches, hand-me-downs, and at the very least the sharing and promoting of what I do. You are the reason I keep going and feel like it is worth it to trade for services instead of being a hardline with the cash only and paid in advance. To you I apologize for the ones who take advantage, because in the end they are hurting both you and me.
If you do decide that you want to offer a little something, here's the link to that Patreon thing:
Here’s where I’ll note; I am far from reconnecting to my Catholic roots. Yet, I love fish, friends, and an excuse to use my fine china. On the other side of that “who am I” coin sits my formal event. It is as close as I get to a Solstice celebration without making my definitively book religion friends think I’m a total weirdo.
Where on Earth was I going with this?
New Year!
But 2022 is hanging on like a, well we won’t go there. We’ll stick with that it is still clinging. I want to move on to bigger and better things in 2023. I am in a lot of ways, but there are some lingering blehs.
So, as I struggle to find just the right means to move forward and make big waves! In comes the need to dust off the old blog. Give me a little credit though. This time it’s only been a few months instead of a few years.
I convinced myself to finally get back into my YouTube videos by dedicating every one of these tarot break down videos to Mary. She swears she is going to make a deck of tarot cards as well this year with the rest of the tarot class. She is considerably more behind on the meanings and symbols of the cards though. So, I am making videos to help her out. It really does help to be “talking” to someone about this, instead of into the void.
So, yeah, videos, laundry, more writing, and oh so many other things.
While I don’t really want to drop to my knees in front of every person I know and *beg* for people to read my serial stories, watch my videos, talk about my classes, buy my books, and pay me what I’m worth; I’m starting to feel like that’s the best option I’ve got.
It’s not that bad. Not really. But I have been foolishly watching the wins of other creators and wondering where I need to sell my soul to get close to the abundance pouring over them. Comparing yourself to others; don’t do that. And most of the time I don’t. But when I do I feel like it's only fair to confess it. I’m still figuring it all out too. And maybe that’s where I was going with this.
“Happy” New Year just isn’t cutting it right now. I’m good with; “Contented” New Year. Even “It Was Worth the Effort” New Year. And that’s the other thing. Every year for the whole of this millennium has had a word, a name if you will. This one, well, it hasn’t told me yet. So, how does it expect me to know what to do with it, if it doesn’t even have a name?
Until it coughs one up I’ll plug along. I’ll write my silly stories. I’ll make my weird little videos. I’ll dance my fool heart out. Because when I stop waiting for the world to see me, stop comparing myself to everyone around me, that’s when I see why I really do all that I do… because I love it, and I can’t imagine a life without it. It makes this whole mad journey worth it.
Huh. Maybe that’s all it is this year.
The Journey.
Clearly consistency is a stretch goal that I will endeavor to focus on for the Fall. I would love to have at least two blog posts each month, but we'll start with one since, I have been all over the place.
There was a time, not so long ago, that I ran multiple blogs, wrote for steady columns in a variety of magazines, and produced articles on the daily. Things have changes a lot since then though, and if I'm honest, I don't want the article lifestyle again.
August though is the start of a more consistent existence, on all fronts, including writing. Fall is shaping up to be a return to my I Can Do It All phase again. This is my favorite lifestyle. And I don't think I'm made of magic or that I'm the only one who can do all the things all the time. It's all about scheduling, focus, and yeah, consistency.
So, I'll start with the outward facing madness. Starting as of, well, yesterday, classes are on, school is in session, and events are looming. So what does a week in the life of Czep look like?
Ever feel like you're at the head of a wave that may wreck you, but can't help but feed off that wild energy? Yeah.
Here.
We.
Go.
I am full on swept in. I'm not just feeding the beast that is Kindle Vella, I'm bare back riding that bad boy. I'll be honest. It might throw me. Enough with the metaphor. I have *six*, yes, *six* Vellas running amuck. The last one breaks out in August! Seriously, go check them out. I'll be here. Okay! See! Not lying. Oof!
To be fair, I feel like I've been waiting for something like this. Every Vella I'm working on is fed from a damned dusty WIP that was too weird to pitch, or that my publisher dragged ass on for so long that I gave up.
I'm not a great writer. I'm sure as hell not everyone's cup of tea. But, I'm having a hell of a good time. And, I'm getting paid to write my own stuff! No more ghostwriting, or articles, or dull blogs about things I don't give a fluff about. Writers out there! If you're waiting to be noticed, don't! Join this madness before someone out there catches wise to it's greatness and snuffs it out.
I'm not sure if I mentioned, I really dig this Vella thing. Yeah. A pinch. I try so hard to encourage my writing students; if you want to write, you have to read. Read the good, the bad, and the totally out there. With the community of Vella, it's built into the success. If you want to really make something of yourself in this you have to;
1. Write - Like every single day, write. (This is not an issue for me. I get grumpy when I can't write for more than a day or so. And my imaginary friends miss me).
2. Read - The communities are very much built on this reciprocity of readers. Let's be real, no one else really knows what is going on because *serial stories are so new and unique*. (They are not, but I digress).
3. Build Consistency - We have all gotten to that muddy middle of a story, right? And then we walk away. Unless! We have a dedicated readership that is desperately waiting for that next episode!
Seriously, this is the best thing for new writers, old writers, good writers, writers who are trying to improve. Because yes, you get feedback. You can try ideas out. You can go back and fix errors.
Now, if I could just get the same sort of returns or reciprocity on my YouTube channel. How on earth do people get so many followers on that thing?
On the other side of the madness classes are going just as well as the writing. Well, all but the Writing classes. Yeah, we are *still* listed as a kids class so we are still only getting the barest number of students. They are amazing, no doubt, but it would be nice if Writing classes saw the same numbers as Bellydance and Sword Fitness.
Well, I feel like I filled most of this update with preachin' the good word of Vella, but it is a sincere pulpit I stand behind. Other than that, rehearsals and panel planning has begun for CoKoCon 2022, the wine is still flowing, and there are still great things in the cards as we ride the wave into the second half of 2022.
See you soon! Oh! And here's another totally crazy thing I did this past week:
I might have missed a month with the updates, but that just means I have way more to talk about this time! And do I ever!
I'm starting with the epicness that is publishing on Vella. Let me preach the good word for just a minute here. I'm a working writer again! Writing novels is great, and getting them noticed is awesome, but writing serials is a wholly different experience. It's the joy of novel writing, with the returns of article and essay work. So here I am feeling like a B-list celebrity (*okay, I'll be real here, my pirate shenanigans, stunt work, and fly by night performances were more D-list than anything more, but you catch my meaning. And I regress.) who is making a comeback with a streaming TV series. So, yeah! If you haven't been sucked into Vella yet, check it out! There's a ton of great stuff on there, and you can always check out my growing list too.
It's not just writing that's booming right now either! Podcasts are bumping with Rachelle of Ra Intuition, and Mary on Casing the Cover.
Speaking of astrology; Ra and I are working some behind the scenes magic to create a new course using a mix of modalities. It deeply appeals to my polymath brain. If you really want in on the ground floor of that action, start poking around at the podcast, and watching for more videos on my YouTube channel.
In librarylandia all is going extra awesome too! You are lookin' at the new, improved, upgraded library Jenn! Yeah, I bit the bullet and jumped up from Page to Circ. It's fewer hours, which means more time for writing! And reading! And book club! And classes!
Writing Workshop is holding steady with our diehard little band. Oh, yeah, one of them is also published on Vella *nudge nudge. Bellydance is overflowing! We are on a waitlist again! And Sword Fitness is taking the high ground! Okay, we are moving to the second floor fitness room instead of the mirrorless, low ceiling classroom on the first floor. And we are moving to Fridays!
So, yeah, a ton of crazy stuff happening. The wine is still flowing. Art is still happening. Magic is everywhere.
And the biggest news; Resurrection is live! It's one more for the land of Vella, but it's the sequel so many people were begging for. Bob and I are plotting offer at least one chapter per week, and the first one dropped on Easter morning. (Because of course we did).
So, until next time, I'll be writing, dancing, crafting, swinging swords, strumming the uke, and flipping cards. Let creativity move you!
