Hey Helen-
It was great to see you pushing through your fears to make these journal pages – you are a natural, I think!
I have always journaled. I have a cupboard of journals dating back to the 1980s. This project, though, is a great way forward for me with journaling. It’s more public, more exposing and I love to collaborate. I find collaboration energising and motivating.
The things getting in the way of my creativity lately are king-sized feelings of inadequacy, a lack of confidence and self-belief and fears that I don’t actually possess the talent needed to get somewhere as a writer. I worry that I am more of a follower than an innovator…that I’m not clever enough, new enough or exciting enough.
How is that for a big old pile of angst?
I love the first page you did in the leaf journal – that image of the little girl playing house is often how I feel as a mother/wife/house-owner! Like, “Oh wow – this is it! This is my adult life. Crazy!” and also, “How did I get here?”
Do you think our blog readers will get confused with all the ‘dear Helen’, ‘love, Helen’ stuff?
Not so weird, though, because in a way we are writing to ourselves, right?
Love, Helen
Wow, you just described my worst fears as a writer. Sometimes I think we are our own worst critics, we need to balance this out with days of yelling out “I’m just as good as that lot!”
I smile everytime I read ‘dear Helen’, ‘love, Helen’. Our readers are smart, they can work it out. 🙂
Hxx
Dear Helens
What a lovely idea, and begun with such gorgeous journals and drawings and collages. While it makes sad that you’re both dealing with inadequecy fears, I think that’s so universal among all writers who don’t have delusions of grandeur. I think its probably healing for you to say it, and healing for us to read it. I hope this process is really invigorating for you both. I will enjoy following your progress.
An entirely different Helen
i am adopting your one day sulk policy
I know a lot about how you feel, its the same for illustration. you send out your stuff and never hear back. even a rejection letter would be nice, that way someone would have at least acknowledged the existence of your efforts. you know! wow I think I am having my one day sulk right now.
Hey thanks, Helen R! Nice to think of you dropping by…maybe sometime you could do a guest post and we can have the Helen’s taking over the world! Hee!
+ Kimberlee – sulk away, girlfriend – and feel free to email me your sulking vibes if you ever need to – I volunteer to be one of your cheerleaders! xx Helen