Writing Life – Christine Smith

Hello 2024 // Living Boldly

Post published:January 15, 2024
Post category:Life
Post comments:14 Comments

A most happy 2024!!! We've accomplished another year and have a brand new one with all manner of journeys ahead. That can be a little scary, definitely overwhelming, but also so very, very exciting. I will be honest, I didn't have the easiest December. Some deep insecurities that have been slowly rising to the surface burst out at the most inopportune time, life got stressful, and I struggled with one of the worst cases of creative block I've ever experienced. This eternal optimist who usually looks to the future with hope was having severe difficulty getting excited about anything. My…

Hello 2023 // Being Present

Post published:January 23, 2023
Post category:Life
Post comments:22 Comments

Happy, happy 2023, my friends! It is a little surreal that we are already here, but a fresh canvas spreads before us ready to be painted with endless possibilities, and I am excited. I know I've been rather quiet for the past few weeks which has been entirely purposeful. I continued my hiatus for the first part of January and since then have been easing back into a routine instead of diving headfirst into All The Things. And it's been good. Really good. There's this expectation, isn't there? The second the calendar switches to January 1st it's like we're expected…

{ILLUMINARE}

🕯️🎻🕯️🎻🕯️🎻🕯️

What a stunning story!

I barely know how to describe this one. Though only a novella, this sweeping tale by @brshutt is set in a Venice-like fantasy setting packed with stunning worldbuilding, gorgeous prose, political intrigue, sharp characters, and themes that resonate through the soul. The characters absolutely leap off the page—every single one so alive and different and dynamic and complex.

It is such a big story, with so many players and moving pieces and intrigue, all wrapped in a gorgeous, immersive writing style. This one kept me glued to the pages.

There is so much to say about this story and yet so hard to find words.

It's expansive and beautiful and immersive. There was a lot to take in for the short length, but this is also just the beginning of bigger stories to come and I CANNOT wait.

This is the kind of fantasy that hits all the right beats for me. Not afraid to get dark and messy and complex but interwoven through it all is the thread of Light.

I repeat: It was just...stunning. I highly recommend it!

Have you read this one? I need to fangirl with people!
.
.
#illuminare #brynshutt #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookflatlay #flatlay #bookphotography #bookphoto #yabookstagram #yabookstagrammer #readingcommunity #bibliophile #books #read #reader #bookish #bookworm #fantasy #bookrecommendations #bookreview

What books are you excited to read next?

✨📚✨📚✨📚✨

We're not going to talk about how many unread books I have on my shelves and Kindle. 🙈 Though I'm VERY grateful to live in a world where there is such a huge supply of wonderful reading material. (Now if only I could find a way to stop time so I'd have time to read them all... 😅)

BUT. Some books that are high up on my to-read pile at the moment include...

🗡️ #BreakTheBeast by @allisonteboauthor // A deep, powerful, aching retelling of Beowulf by one of my favorite authors?? We needs it precious!

🍃 #Wishtress by @nadinebrandes // Nadine Brandes is an autobuy author for me. I've been meaning to devour this one since it first came out. I mean, a girl whose tears turn into wishes and a boy who can stop time (speaking of stopping time 😅)? YES PLEASE.

👑 #TheWindwardKing by @ktivanrest // I have heard SO many good things about this one. I am always HERE for stories with shapeshifters. *grabby hands*
.
.
Have you read these? Or are they on your TBR? What are YOUR top books currently on your TBR? (Because I have no self control and love book recs. 😅)
.
.
#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookflatlay #flatlay #bookphotography #bookphoto #yabookstagram #yabookstagrammer #readingcommunity #bibliophile #books #read #reader #bookish #bookworm #tbr #fantasy #fantasyreads

What are things that motivate you creatively?

🌱✨🌱✨🌱✨🌱

It's so hard to keep hold of motivation, isn't it? I feel like we're in a constant state of pouring out, but how much time do we take to fill ourselves back up?

Rest and refilling that creative well is so important. Yet it's not always an easy thing to do. Sometimes it's hard to know HOW to seek creative refreshment and inspiration.

SO. Let's help one another!

I had a fun thought. Why don't we make a whole thread of some of our favorite ways to fill back up creatively? Let's help out our fellow creatives in finding ways to fill up our wells so we can keep pouring out all that beautiful creativity!

Ready? I'll get us started!
.
.
📚 Rereading a favorite novel // Or just reading in general!

🌳 Taking a walk // Nothing like taking in nature and moving our bodies to energize our minds.

🧚‍♀️ Reading fairy tales // The sheer amount of plot bunnies I get from fairy tales, you guys! They are an endless source of inspiration.

🌈 Tapping into some favorite childhood activities // There is something about doing a favorite thing from my childhood, like playing a video game or watching an old favorite kids' movie or even pulling out the crayons, that transports me back to those highly creative childhood days.

☀️ A change of scenery // I love shifting places while I write--it's like it loosens the cobwebs from my mind.

💕 Brainstorming and talking stories with friends // Having other minds help with your story OR just talking enthusiastically about your work can recharge the motivation for it so very much!

🎨 Create playlists/Pinterest boards/art/ect. for your work // Those aesthetic things for my novels is one of my FAVORITE parts and gets me SO pumped to dive into creating the novel.

✨ Just being still and letting your imagination wander // Getting outside, closing your eyes, listening to the sounds of nature or music, letting your incredible imagination just run FREE? It is magical.
.
.
There are some of my favorite ways to get the creativity going again.

YOUR TURN!

Let's keep the thread going and help out our fellow creatives. Drop your favorite ways to refill and stay motivated in the comments! 👇

{Thank You, Bookstagram} 📷📚📷📚📷📚

{Happy May} 🌷✨🌷✨🌷✨🌷 May Day al

{Get to Know the Author}

✒️📖✒️📖✒️📖✒️

It's been a while since I've done an introduction post, so I thought I'd remedy that today and share a few facts about the author behind the photos!

✨ I'm an ENFJ (and huge MBTI and personality types in general nerd 🤓) and love cats, coffee, and people (not necessarily in that order).

📖 If it's not obvious, I really love pink. My tastes are often akin to a 5-year-old girl and I am not ashamed by that fact. Pink and glitter and rainbows forever. 🩷✨🦄

✨ I'm also a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland. The whimsy of it has long delighted me. And the fact that I love it and the Mad Hatter is one of my favorite fictional characters in general may say something about me. 🤪

📖 I've adored stories since...always? I was gobbling away at books at a very young age, tried my hand at writing them at 9-years-old, and have been avidly and passionately telling stories ever since.

✨ Fantasy has long been my favorite genre with an extra special love for fairy tales but I read a lot of historical fiction when I was younger and have recently started writing it some too and it's been such a fun experience. (Though my love for dragons and enchanted forests and epic quests has not diminished in the least. 🐲🗡️)

📖 I firmly believe in the power of stories and using our creativity to the fullest and am passionate about encouraging creatives to always seek that spark and never give up creating. 💖

✨ You will find a lot of posts here encouraging creatives amid the ups and downs of this creative life, and I also offer coaching to writers. 🖋️💛

📖 In the past couple of years I discovered roleplaying and am officially obsessed.

✨ Basically everything I do has something to do with storytelling and books and I am not sad about this fact.

📖 I would also very much like to own a pet dragon so if anyone knows how to acquire one please let me know me know thaaaanks! 🐉💕
.
.
That's more than enough about me. I want to know YOU all more! Drop a fun fact about yourself below!

I'm SO grateful to each of you for following along and enjoying my content. I feel so blessed to be a part of this community! 💛

{COVER REVEAL} ✨🌏✨🌏✨🌏✨ The 3rd

Follow on Instagram