I’m an editor for a major newspaper group (Australia) and two magazines: Image; and Food & Wine. I also write/manage two sites on creativity/writing etc. creativedetox.com (freelance inspiration) and circlethedivine.com (creative recovery/free online artist way workshop)

I remember fondly sitting where you are sitting now – a single mum and feeling like my wheels were doing nothing but spinning.

Have you ever heard of the terminology: the quitting zone.

It’s the zone we feel when we are about to experience a major breakthrough: some people quit and never realize their life’s purpose/goal and others continue with their love and passion: following their inner light without immediate gratification.

I highly recommend The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Every time I work this book/exercises I open up to a new level in regard to my career and writing achievement. Work and rework this book and allow a power greater than self to guide you to your destination.

I have commissioned so many people for columns: people following their own light: a foodie who runs her own website on local places to eat, was invited to write a regular column for FW mag. A hairdresser and personal trainer now write regular cols. for Image mag. These people were focusing on what they loved to do – their trade and unpaid writing on the side. A writing career landed on their laps, a writing career landed on mine and I feel a creative career will land on yours as well.

The key to mastery (ie creating your life’s purpose) is to ditch the frustration, develop faith and trust with your imagination (dare to dream BIG not small) and develop acceptance – find the beauty in the small and beautiful things, the gifts of day to day life. (How wonderful to have a space regardless of where it is of your own – an essential for all creative people, I think!)

Stay in contact with me if you like, I am interested in your journey. circlethedivine.com

Keep the pen in your hand and the dream in your heart – Kazi
My point is you never know when the Universe will determine its your turn, pretty soon you will move through the quitting zone and the only limitations are our imagination/thinking.

in the meantime … it’s important for us to keep creating (whatever our field) regardless.

I break them down into smaller steps. I look at what it is that I really want to accomplish (is it to be published by a publisher, or is it to get the book out there into people’s hands, or is to be heard in some way? Or is it to get paid for being creative?) The real goal . . . or goals . . . then I brainstorm all the little ways I could make it happen, all the steps that might get me there.

I’m really big on baby steps. Hope that “Writer Mama” helps!

I think I do need to become a “unmoveable force” in this publishing endeavor. It feels like new doors may open after my move, with a new voice and a new setting. I’m dreaming into it even now….

I’m checking out Writing Mama now… :-)

A blessing on the discouraged parts of you.

Here are two reasons — I could easily add a few dozen more — why I think your being published and achieving your other creative objectives are a matter of *when* not if:
- Dia de los Muertos
- Immigrant Diaries: Melancholy Songs

Are you sure you don’t have enough “critical mass” in your blog posts to land a few articles, as you put it?

I know my words would carry more weight if I were a publisher. Sigh. Not even close to one as in neighbour or friend who owes me a favour. Maybe you can collect up these and similar comments and send them off to prospective publishers to show there is a faithful readership for your writing.

You head on over to Barbara Sher’s website at http://www.barbarasher.com/.
You join her bulletin board forum (http://www.barbarasher.com/boards/), scroll down to Wishes and Obstacles, share your goals and frustrations and get help and ideas from loads of kind and wise people.

And a question from me: this may be obvious, but why do you have to shut down your Etsy shop? Why can’t you run it from Denmark?