Creativity Opens Doors: The Next Chapter • by Christine Mason Miller

I am honored to be back here at crescendoh.com with the story of where things went beyond the end of my original Art Saves story. My story ended in the fall of 2005, which marked the beginning of my foray into mixed-media work. I also started my blog in 2005, and began putting more time and energy into my writing. Through these endeavors, I was processing and sharing everything from creative blocks, relationship issues, and my ongoing journey of healing and recovery from my divorce. Before too long, the writing and mixed-media began to overlap, the final result of which was Ordinary Sparkling Moments.

Self-Publishing for Creative Independence
Ordinary Sparkling Moments: Reflections on Success and Contentment is a self-published labor of love that combines my mixed-media artwork and stories about finding wisdom in everyday life. Its original proposal was created for an interested publisher who ultimately rejected it. While the editor had many nice things to say about it, the powers that be on her editorial board deemed the book “too personal.”

I wasn’t devastated by this the way I was when I lost the contract outlined in my first Art Saves story, but I did take some time to think carefully about my next step. The big question: Should I submit the proposal to another publisher or should I publish the book myself? After sitting still on the question for many weeks, I decided I would take the book under my wing and self-publish. I believed that this element of creative independence would add another layer of inspiration to an endeavor I already knew would be a positive contribution to the world.

All it Takes is Trust
Ever since Ordinary Sparkling Moments was released, I’ve received as many compliments about the fact that I self-published as I do about the book itself. The book is a dream made real, and proof positive that the decision I made in 2004 to trust “that one creative failure was going to open the door to another creative path” was the best decision I could have made. The practice of surrendering to the process of my life has only deepened since that turning point, and every time I see my book sitting in my studio I am reminded that just because I don’t know where I’m headed, it doesn’t mean I’m not going in the right direction. All it takes is trust.

To learn more about Christine Mason Miller, visit christinemasonmiller.com.

Comments

[kathryn]

just love your writing!! especially those last few sentences...really awesome!!