Every Saturday, The Creative will feature a brief post about my current creative efforts and how they are progressing. If this doesn't interest you, read no further -- not only will I not be offended, I'll never know. The usual creativity-centric posts will return on Sunday.
We all know that the holiday season is a time of fun and family and friends. We also know that it's the most hectic time of the year, one so full of activity and hustle and bustle that by the time December 25 rolls around, most of us just collapse gratefully in front of the nearest Christmas tree and breathe a huge sigh of relief.
You musicians out there know it's worse for us, because not only do we have the shopping and cooking and visiting and parties ... but we have to provide the music that everyone else wants to listen to at this festive time of year. Even as I thought that I'd have a bit more time for my own creative projects now that Thanksgiving was over, now that National Novel Writing Month was over ... that's when Christmas concerts started hitting me upside the head. I'll give more details in the update:
Music -- The only music I've done this week has been of the sitting-at-the-piano-playing variety. The Christmas Concert Season has officially begun for me, from my wife's concert on December 1 through two church services on December 5, one on December 12 (with a handbell event the same day), my elementary school's program on December 14 (afternoon and evening both), to our church's Christmas concert on the 19th, and finally Christmas Eve. I'm hoping against hope that I can find time to get a bit of composing done during this time, but right now, I think I'm going to be glued to the piano practicing and getting ready for upcoming performances.
Writing -- I admit it -- aside from a few haiku and a blog post or two, I've written nothing. I stopped on my NaNoWriMo novel as soon as I got past 50,000 -- which was about last Saturday -- and have written nothing since. I hope to get back to editing the second book of my Sadonian Chronicles series, but until the concerts ease up a bit, that will have to just remain a hope.
Publishing -- Oddly enough, there's been nothing here, either. About the closest to movement on this front is the fact that my bell arrangement of God Rest Ye Merry has been on the Jeffers' "Hot 40" list since September 20. That's two and a half months on the list, which is the longest I've had a piece on there since Il Est Né was on it for 5 months back in 2007. It's no guarantee of a good financial outcome, but the longer a piece is on the list -- at least in my limited experience -- the larger my royalty check. I won't complain.
I'd love to say that the odds were good there'd be large amounts of fantastic news on all of these fronts in the next week or two, but the sad fact is that the busier I am in my "normal" jobs (those that pay me to show up and do my work), the less news I get to post here. The one saving grace is that the later in the month we get, the more of my commitments I'll finish up, which -- in theory -- ought to free up more time.
As always, feel free to post your own creative successes in the comments section. Until then, keep creating!
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