Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Moving Forward

I have decided to pitch articles that will move other womens' careers foward. As I told both women I'm working with, I'm not a saint. I'm doing it so I can get published and paid. If they become millionaries in the process, so be it. I just want my 500 buck freelance writers check, thank you very much.

One of the women I have been speaking to is an artist who creates incredible graphic collages for large wall spaces. We have conferences via cell phone, while I'm at the carwash, or while at UPS while my kids color boxes on the floor. (Writers and moms can't be shy - we must cease quiet opportunites when we can, be it the post office, the grocery store, or inside the gas station while the kids happily suck on crushed ice. The woman writing on the back of a yeast infection ad while her kids pick pennies out of a dirty strip mall fountain? Yup, that's me.)

This afternoon I collaborated with a photographer friend of mine. She lives an hour away, but was kind enough to travel down here for our meeting. The kids went to bed and we hammered out the details of our 30 page board book. I'm writing the text and she's going to photograph the kids for corresponding imagery. I'd tell you the idea, but what if some publisher is out there and makes it, stealing our millions? It could happen, and since I'm now thinking big, I'm not taking my chances.

I don't know exactly where each project will land (What magazine will use the art article? What publisher will use our book? Or better stated, how the hell do we go about publishing a book?) But I do know that the simple act of doing will create some marvelous opportunites. Or at least some hilarious stories: "The Day Stink Cut Sophie's Hair in the shape of a Chia Pet."

I'm excited to be taking myself seriously again.

And on an equally serious note, it's time to cook dinner. It's "Whatever Wednesday" and some mac n' cheese are screaming my name! (But first, a cup of coffee in the tub. The kids are napping, and like I said, it's all about seizing the opportunites.)

4 comments:

Lynnea said...

I so enjoy your blog. I love how real you are and still a big thinker. Because if we don't think big, nothing big will happen right?

meno said...

"The woman writing on the back of a yeast infection ad while her kids pick pennies out of a dirty strip mall fountain? Yup, that's me."

What a great image. It made me laugh out loud. This is exciting, i am eager to hear the results.

Princess in Galoshes said...

Oooh! Very exciting! Please tell us when the article's published. I'd love to read it. :-)

Andrea Frazer said...

Maggie - Nice to see you like the blog. Sometimes I consider taking it down - to focus on other stuff. But then I figure maybe someone can identify with my yearnings toward other stuff and enjoy hearing about the process. Thanks.

Pam - You will get a signed copy of my book when it is produced in 2020! Ha!

Princess - Of course you will know when it's published. It will be
your wedding gift!

Meno - I am here to amuse you. I adore your writing. You know that. Ah, shucks.