On "failing" a creative challenge

It isn't failure if you have the right perspective

See the haiku this moment inspired below

I set out to write a haiku a day in September. It was a challenge I felt I needed because most of my time lately has been spent not on writing, but on finishing the art for MARI IN THE MARGINS and planning for the book’s release in May (which feels like next week in publishing time). I missed writing, but I didn’t have the motivation or energy to start something new or dust off something old. So a month-long haiku challenge seemed like just the thing to keep my poetry muscles in shape. I could write one haiku a day. No problem!

And that’s how it was for the first eight days of September. I missed day nine, but told myself it was fine (it was) and that I’d make up for it by writing two haiku the next day. But I missed day ten as well. Dang it.

Okay. No biggie. I got back on the haiku wagon on day eleven. Then, I missed day twelve.

Do you see where I’m going with this?

The end of September came, and I had twenty new haiku to show for it. It’s not what I had set out to do. I was a little disappointed in myself, honestly. After all, I once illustrated a poem a day for 100 days straight! But I couldn’t write a haiku every day for less than a third of that?

But here’s the thing. In the course of those thirty days I also wrote other things! And I’m not talking about substack posts. I drafted a whole picture book manuscript about pumpkins. I also wrote a longish poem titled “True Story” (you can find it in my notes, if you’re interested) and half of another one.

So, writing those haiku turned out to be just the kind of exercise I needed. But even if I hadn’t written that picture book draft or those other poems, the challenge wasn’t a bust. I wasn’t (I’m not) a failure. No one’s keeping score here. Well, okay, I guess I am. But the challenge wasn’t really about writing thirty haiku. It was about motivating myself to write consistently during a busy season. Mission accomplished.

How about you? Do you enjoy a creative challenge, like the 100 Day Challenge or Inktober? Have you ever been hard on yourself for “failing” a creative challenge?

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A Few Haiku

September 5

The coneflowers fade
Purple blooms yield to seed heads
Drying in the sun

September 6

Buzzing from the trees
Cicadas’ call of longing 
Late summer rhythm 

September 13*

Morning text message 
Followed by hopeful phone call 
Baby is coming 

September 30

Path lined with dry leaves
That crunch under tiny paws
Doggies’ adventure

*Grandchild number four’s birthday

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Sketch of the Week:

Speaking of challenges, Inktober is here! This is my drawing from day one. The prompt was “dream.”