Pushing through the Cloud of Uncertainty
June is my favorite month of the year. It’s my birthday month and I go into celebration mode. Yes, I’m ready to have a “funky good time.” In those celebratory moments, I focus on the special times, the experiences, the joy of summer and the beauty of sunshine. I enjoy being outside and basking in the glow of summer.
Every summer isn’t glorious. The realities of life are always lurking to bring some cloudy skies and rain. Sometimes it comes in small doses and other times it’s big, bad, and bold.
This year, the cloud was unemployment. I was laid-off during what they are calling the “white collar recession.” I’ve had numerous interviews with different companies, but I have yet to land a permanent job, having worked on small freelance projects and contract assignments. While this isn’t easy to reveal, it’s true.
When the layoff happened, I was writing a book.
Refuse to be blinded by the dark
I mourned the job for a while, but I changed my focus. I worked on completing the book, as I had intended to have the book published last summer.
Somedays it was just difficult to write, like when I had an interview or find out I didn’t get a job that I interviewed (I thought I aced). Some days, I was hemorrhaging hopelessness and despair. I had to make a conscious decision that I was going to move forward. I can’t control interviews or the outcomes, but I can control the progress of my book.
Finding the light in the dark
I decided to put together a schedule of tasks or activities that would allow me to reach my goal. It wasn’t detailed because I knew there were going to be times when I had to focus my energy on job hunting. It was an action-oriented list that covered writing the book and marketing it. This extra time allowed me to prevent mistakes.
For example, I had a cover with a small visual and was text heavy. When I looked at the book, I realized that it wasn’t attractive. And as I know your book cover is a mini-advertisement, I revised my cover.
As I was writing the book, I got deeper into the story. The creative process is different for authors. It may sound crazy, but I fell in love with my characters. I didn’t dread the revision process because I liked the direction the story was taking.
I write my books in the wee hours of the morning when the world is quiet and not demanding my time or attention. That’s when I get into my creative zone. There is one thing that I do that many other writers might find disruptive. I listen to music when I’m writing. Before I start writing the book, I identify and describe the characters and the main objective of the book along with the challenges the characters will encounter. During that time, I’m focused and work in silence. After I write the first working draft, I will start listening to music. I don’t listen to instrumental music, but music with lyrics. Somehow music takes me to an ethereal place that takes me to a higher place or distracts me from the realities of my life.
I listen to music all the time… when I’m stressed or writing or looking for a job.
Accomplishing goals brings joy
I released the first book, It Starts With a Promise, from my three-book series, The Rippe Effect Trilogy. I feel so much joy when I see my book on Amazon.
Writing has been my light in this darkness. I think it’s fair and accurate to note that the world is in an unfamiliar place and time in history. It’s tough for many people and for different reasons.
I had to reshape my mindset. I believe that releasing my book is a major achievement. I can’t rely on the job search to define me. I learned to step into achievements with confidence and pride. I recognize that the circumstances aren’t ideal, but I still acknowledge my accomplishment as a victory.
Robin Allen is a multi-published author of women’s fiction, romance, and YA novels: It Starts With A Promise: A Novel; It’s Complicated: A Novel; The Best Thing Yet; If I Were Your Woman; Breeze and The Starters: Unexpected. As a freelance writer, she has written 40+ articles for national publications, including Hope, Digital Flourish, Essence, Today’s Black Woman, Atlanta Woman, Black Elegance, and Diversity Careers. Robin has worked as a senior-level manager in marketing, communications, and public relations for Fortune 500 and technology companies.