The Sunday Circle is the weekly check-in where I ask the creative-types who follow this blog to weigh in about their goals, inspirations, and challenges for the coming week. The logic behind it can be found here. Want to be involved? It’s easy – just answer three questions in the comments or on your own blog (with a link in the comments here, so that everyone can find them).
After that, throw some thoughts around about other people’s projects, ask questions if you’re so inclined. Be supportive above all.
Then show up again next Sunday when the circle updates next, letting us know how you did on your weekly project and what you’ve got coming down the pipe in the coming week (if you’d like to part of the circle, without subscribing to the rest of the blog, you can sign-up for reminders via email here).
MY CHECK-IN
What am I working on this week?
My thesis prospectus was submitted on Friday, which means I get to shift gears and focus on creative work a little more for the latter half of the year. This week, that takes the form of a story that will either end up being a novella or novelette about an broker of occult artifacts and the trouble he runs into when his best friend cuts him out of a deal.
What’s inspiring me this week?
I read CS Pacat’s The Captive Prince in preparation for an In Conversation that’s happening a little later in the month, and it’s an intriguing book to look at in that context. A lot of the hype that surrounded it’s original release was all about trying to position it within the marketplace, and there were a *lot* of references to the series as an erotic Game of Thrones. That undersells the book quite considerably, and misses what’s really interesting about the series. It’s doing a lot more with the traditions of romantic fantasy – quite intentionally, would be my guess –
What part of my project an I avoiding?
I need to critique a friend’s novel this week and it’s not currently accounted for in my to-do list, and I’ve got two weeks to do a bunch of reading and notes for the next phase of the thesis (aka writing the chapter that I’m actually doing the thesis to write).
I’ve ended up taking a short, unscheduled break from writing newsletters over the last fourteen days. Regular GenrePunk Ninja transmissions will resume
Like many of you, I have good weeks and bad weeks on the writing front. This week has been rocky, and if
Welcome to GenrePunk Ninja supplemental, where I occasionally post foundational essays written before I launched the GenrePunk Ninja newsletter, especially if they’re
9 Responses
Peter: it sounds like it might be a good idea to front-load as much of that thesis reading as you can this week, given how demanding it’s been in the past… is that possible at all this week?
On Captive Prince, it definitely feels like ‘Game of Thrones but X’ has become a shorthand for moral shades of gray and complex factional politics. Is that possibly what was intended with the description for that book? (like the GOT comparisons made for The Expanse, say…)
The GOT comparisons for the Expanse are a lot more apt, though. They’re both big, multi-part sagas about conflicting political ideologies getting plaid out by on every level of society. The Captive Prince has far less of that – it’s very single-view-point and the politics is often hidden from the protagonist due to the lack of social context.
I’m a little late this week thanks to a monthly checkpoint taking up a chunk of Sunday, and the fallout from a sickness last week, but here we go!
What am I working on this week?
Last week was completely wiped out by sickness end-to-end, so this week is most of the catchups from last week rescheduled for this week. (ever get that feeling when you’ve laid out a perfect week and then something wipes it out like a sandcastle under a big dumper of a wave at the beach?) I’m shifting recording for the film into high gear to try and close that project out (the constant weekly commitment is now getting in the way of other possibilities, so I need to free up the time and energy going to it by getting ‘er done. Other than that, chasing up leads for the commercial demo which I’m about to get in my hot little hands.
What’s inspiring me this week?
I managed to finally watch Arrival and loved it completely. I can’t say too much about what I really dug without spoiling things, but I highly recommend it.
The huge difference that adding monthly checkpoints to my implementation of Accidental Creative’s systems is also making me really happy.
Looking forward to reduced stress thanks to the day job situation having gone back to a sustainable platform that everything rests on.
Also really enjoying the tail end of Danse Macabre at the moment, and looking forward to re-reading after a breather, and taking more detailed notes.
What part of my project am I avoiding?
Progress on the video content projects is starting to feel like tinkering around the edges as a distraction from getting stuff done.
Conscious that I also need to be doing more lead generation work.
All the best with catching up / cleaning up after fallout. Sometimes the checkpoints are useful as a reminder that things actually did get accomplished in those situations. I keep an “achievements” list for the month, for that purpose.
Can you cryptically say what you enjoyed about Arrival, in such a way that those who have seen it can guess what you mean?
An achievements list is actually a really good idea, especially for a monthly checkpoint. Thank you for the suggestion!
And regarding Arrival – how language provides the possibility space for thought, and how that can shape how we frame concepts and perceive reality. Reminded me of the reality episodes of Invisibilia.
I haven’t gone to bed yet so it’s technically still Sunday in Massachusetts.
What am I working on this week?
– I’m going to a Nico Delort illustration workshop in Minneapolis next weekend, and have been invited to have some art hanging in the show, which means going through my luggage and finding pieces for that, and preparing to travel again.
– Assorted small project deadlines. I have some big jobs on foot but New York publishing closes from midday Friday until Wednesday (Tuesday is 4 July), so I’m waiting for feedback on those.
What’s inspiring me this week?
– I’m gradually recalibrating after the sensory overload of the Illustration Master Class, and able to usefully process images now. This area has some great illustration art galleries (R Michelson Galleries and the Eric Carle Museum among others) and being able to see the original art close up is fascinating and educational. And the house I’m staying in is full of great books and wonderful art.
– The Eric Carle Museum has an exhibition pairing one piece of art by each of a series of illustrators with art by someone who inspires them. You can follow their sometimes unexpected lines and moods, and learn how to process inspiration.
– Working around people who are making wonderful art. I’ve been spending most afternoons working with a group of writers here, watching how they plot and consult and strategise, and the rest of the time there is usually a fantastically creative 8 year old in the area, writing story after story.
What part of my project am I avoiding?
– Preparing for some presentations.
– Booking the flight from Minneapolis to Boston.
Peter, I’m planning to come to the in conversation, jet lag permitting!
Also, thanks to the bullet journal approach, I was just able to remotely navigate my housesitter to a page of sketches I wasn’t sure existed.
What’s the smallest first step you could take toward preparing those presentations today, Kathleen?
Also, serious envy for the experiences you’re going through at the moment – that sounds like a great filling of the tank!