Deep Work
Gratitude
I’d like to start with extending the deepest gratitude to everyone who helped make my Once and Future Lovers Hybrid Book Tour a success. From local Florida features at The Read Herring and The ReadOut to stops in Seattle, Chicago, Atlanta, Denver, and Mineral Point, the welcome and love I received both affirmed and inspired me. I’m thankful for every venue, especially the independent bookstores Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg, FL; Women and Children First in Chicago, IL; and Charis Books and More in Atlanta, GA
(If you missed my wonderful conversation with ZAMI-NOBLA at Charis, you can watch it here!)
If you still have yet to buy your copy of the Tenth Anniversary Edition of Once and Future Lovers, I humbly request that you get your copy from one of the amazing, community-centric aforementioned stores who center their work on uplifting historically marginalized voices and celebrating freedom, abundance, and rights for ALL people.
Focused Success
I announced a couple months ago that after my tour wrapped, I’d be going offline for a creative sabbatical. Last year, I stepped away from social media for the month of July, and this time I’m going for a little longer, potentially extending my timeout from the socials and events well into August and the better part of September.
The truth is I need to finish a draft of my memoir, like, yesterday. I’ve been working on it in fits and starts since 2015. I’m happy to share that a number of the essays from the memoir collection have been published, with a few more on the way, but it is time for me to finish a full draft to share with trusted readers then interested editors and agents. In order to do this work, I’m following the advice of Michaela Coel, who dared writers—artists—to disappear in order to focus on their work. Hearing her say it the way she said it in her Emmy acceptance speech really resonated for me in the same ways Cal Newport’s Deep Work, did.
“In a world that entices us to browse through the lives of others to help us better determine how we feel about ourselves and to in turn feel the need to be constantly visible – for visibility, these days, seems to somehow equate to success – do not be afraid to disappear. From it, from us, for a while, and see what comes to you in the silence." - Michaela Coel
Newport defines Deep Work as “… activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skill, and are hard to replicate.” Deep work, for me, is my writing. It’s my deepest work, I think. In order to do it at the level I know I’m capable of, and even at the level that pushes beyond what I think I’m capable of—and I’m thinking here of Octavia Butler’s challenge to push beyond “good enough”—I need distraction-free concentration. I need obsessive focus and dedication. It’s difficult to cultivate that kind of concentration, focus, and dedication when current social media and marketing and public appearance expectations feel compulsory.
It’s easy to feel like we have to be constantly visible, like we have to provide pics or it didn’t happen, like we have to promote-promote-promote in order to stay relevant. As a working artist, who also runs a literary nonprofit and small publishing company, I do have to be front-facing a lot of the time. I do have to share news and updates, pictures and announcements, to keep the important work I’m doing visible and accessible. However, there are times when the tasks associated with administrative, marketing, and community service work can eclipse the work that means the most to me, which always has been—and always will be—my writing.
I’m going into this dedicated time of deep focus with encouragement from writers that I admire (Brian Broome’s “Write the damn thing!” and Maud Newton’s public support of my work top of mind) and the support of my family and community.
** Highly recommend Brian Broome’s Punch Me Up to the Gods and Maud Newton’s Ancestor Trouble by the way**
I’m deleting my social apps from my phone and blocking them on my computers (Cold Turkey for the win!). I’m not doing any teaching or workshops. I’m limiting my public appearances (you might catch me at the Writer’s Room in Ybor for some writing get-downs on occasion). I’m nervous about it, but it feels right, feels necessary.
Wish me luck. Send your love. I’ll catch y’all later.
Brian Broome delivering keynote address at The ReadOut earlier this year.
Where I’ll Be…
While I will be off the socials and doing limited public appearances, you can keep up with my progress by joining my Patreon Community, which is both a source of inspiration and accountability for me. My monthly newsletter offers updates on my progress and those at the highest level of support get sneak peeks of my drafts. I’m thankful for my Patreon supporters because so much of what I’m able to accomplish is made possible by their love and generosity.
If you’re interested in joining to support my work, specifically as I take a break from teaching and workshops, please visit Sheree L. Greer on Patreon for more information about how to subscribe!
