On the Cusp of an Exhale

Photo credit: Marcelo Campi Amateur photographer on Flickr

I've just walked out of my last day of class of my first year of grad school.

Wow.

I'm not 100% done with everything—have one more thing to turn in, but that just requires light revisions before handing it over. And that has weirdly coincided with my publishing deadlines, which also still need to be turned in, but only require light revisions. So I can see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. I'm on the cusp of an exhale.

I've had an incredible first year. And an incredibly busy first year, lord I've been juggling so many things. And this summer I'm going to be ramping up the writing and reading with the time I had to spend on school stuff.

But overall, I feel good. I made it (almost). I've done the hard part (all of it). It's been a wild time and I'm so glad I'm here.

Now the things I'm looking forward to:

• finishing revisions on my YA Thriller and getting that out to my CPs and agent
• plotting and first drafting my first MG ever (!!!)
• READING. ALL. THE BOOKS. ALL OF THEM. 
• playing Assassin's Creed: Origins. Also Horizon Zero Dawn. 
• having an actual social life (whaaaat?) 
• my first Pride :)

Lots to look forward to, lots to do. But the hardest part of this too-much-work mountain is over, and that feels really damn good.

What are you plans for the summer? 

Twitter-sized bite:

What are your writing/reading plans for the summer? Join the discussion on @Ava_Jae's blog. (Click to tweet)

On Compartmentalizing

Photo credit: Alex Abian on Flickr

Like many writers, I juggle a lot of things at once.

Right now I have grad school. A part-time job. Freelance editing. And I'm an author with an active social media presence.

This month, alongside my regular responsibilities (the part time job, freelancing, social media things, everyday life stuff, etc.) I also had my third book due to my editor, as well as two essays. I tackled the book three revisions by doing what I know my brain does best: binge editing, in which I literally dedicated an entire day to revisions until it was done. That worked really well and allowed me to get that major responsibility out of the way so I could then focus on...everything else.

I won't pretend it's perfect—the stress has literally made my chronic illness flare up multiple times this month. But as I'm nearing the light at the end of the tunnel I'm feeling as though it might just be possible to do everything I need. Hopefully.

I still have all the other things due. But I've been realizing, as of late, the way I have to handle things is one at a time. I feel a little lighter knowing I got one major deadline down, and now I'm tackling the rest with new energy. And I'm thinking that maybe I should handle the some of my responsibilities the same way.

I compartmentalize a lot, but as I'm often juggling A Lot, I've found that it's really how my brain works best. If I can focus on one aspect at a time, and ignore the others while I'm getting one thing done, then I don't get overwhelmed with the mountain of things I need to tackle. And with each completed compartment, I feel even more prepared to handle the next.

This isn't going to work for everyone, obviously. But it's how I've been handling what is essentially four jobs, this semester, and I think I'm going to implement it even more as I go on. Because figuring out what strategies work best for your brain can go a long way toward not dropping all the balls at once.

Do you compartmentalize?

Twitter-sized bite:

How do you juggle multiple, major responsibilities while still meeting your deadlines? @Ava_Jae shares their experience. (Click to tweet) 

On Grad School and Getting My MFA

Photo credit: permanently scatterbrained on Flickr

I'm now in my second semester of grad school, where I'm getting my MFA in Writing for Children, and life is good. Ridiculously busy—especially when I'm on deadline like right now—but good. To think that this time last year I was agonizing over whether moving 800 miles on my own to get a degree I didn't necessarily need was a good idea—and boy, am I glad I went for it because it's been an excellent idea. The best decision I've ever made, to be honest.

A big part of that is because I'm finally independent and in a place where I can make connections and plant roots—which feels so nice. But the program so far has been really valuable, too.

I'd heard loads of horror stories about MFAs, and how so many of the programs looked down on genre fiction and even those that didn't often looked down on children's literature—so as a YA spec fic author, I was initially hesitant to apply anywhere. Until I did my research and found a handful of programs nationwide that offered a children's lit-specific program in which I could continue honing my skills in the field I actually enjoyed.

Though it's still earlyish in my program, I can say it's definitely done that. But moreso, it's pushed me outside of my comfort zone. In my first semester I dabbled with Middle Grade and Picture Book writing for the first time—and now I have a Middle Grade project I'm excited about and moving forward with. With frequent critiques and need to constantly output work, I've got multiple projects fresh on my mind at all times, which keeps me creatively churning one way or the other.

Starting in the fall I'll begin working with a mentor with a chosen project, which will be a whole 'nother level of critique and creating new words. I'm excited about the future and juggling projects like never before, but at the end of it all I've have even more work I can use in my career. And that's pretty excellent.

While I certainly wouldn't say an MFA is essential to being an author (or a bachelor's degree for that matter, or college education at all), it's a step I'm really glad I took, both as a way to get me to spread my wings, and in terms of my creative output. I've got a ton going on right now, but it's all stuff I love.

Twitter-sized bite:

Curious about what getting a kidlit-focused MFA is like? @Ava_Jae shares their experience so far. (Click to tweet)