A few months ago, I was fortunate enough to do a guest post for Jessi Elliot over at The Elliot Review. I thought I would share the post on my blog as well. It is all about tapping into your creative - no matter what that may be for you. The post was titled: Why I Need To Write

                       
          I need to write because if I don’t, I might just short-circuit. Sound crazy? Let me explain. It is my belief that everyone needs a creative outlet to plug into. Does that mean everyone should write, or paint, or direct a movie? Absolutely not (unless you want to). Having a creative outlet, to me, means being able to do something that brings you joy and peace through your own actions; something that comes naturally to you, that helps you express what you’re thinking and feeling. An activity where, even if it takes time and a lot of effort, it never seems like a chore because it is a piece of you that is being expressed. It can be planting a garden, volunteering at your local animal shelter, organizing events for your child’s school, building a birdhouse, etc.

        My daily routine consists of the following: I get up in the morning and I get to spend about 15 minutes with my beautiful wife and lovely daughter before I have to run for my train. My commute to Manhattan is about an hour. I then work about 8-10 hours for Corporate America before sitting on the train for another hour, headed home. On days where I get out on time, I only get to spend about 45 minutes with my daughter before she’s off to bed. After that: dinner with my wife, catching up with one another, and sometimes a little TV. If there is time, late evening, I’ll do some chores around the house so as not to deal with them on the weekends.

        My time with my wife and daughter are truly precious to me and I live for it. But let us rewind to that whole Corporate America thing, shall we? Hey, we all need to make a living and pay the bills and I am fortunate enough where I get to work within a creative environment with incredibly talented people, and I even get to wear jeans and sneakers to work. Very cool, right? However, at the end of the day my job is not my life; it is just a job to me. I appreciate it in terms of financial support, and I give 100% while I’m there, but everything I work on has so many hands on it, by the time it is completely executed, none of it is truly mine. I’m not complaining, just explaining.

        So, let’s recap: Spending time with family is amazing, but my job, although creative, and although I devote 100% of my efforts and energy to the work, in the end, the work is not 100% of me. That is, the work is done to appease other creators, art directors, clients, consumers, etc. So what of all of the ideas swirling around in my head? The yearning I feel when intuition screams to create something? This stuff has to come out somehow. I need to express myself and expel all of the things buzzing around in my mind. When most of my day is spent executing projects for someone else, be it creative or otherwise, I still feel like something is missing. Emotionally my wife, child, other family and friends fill me with joy and love. Mentally, however, I have so many ideas, creative images, and visual triggers, that I need a way to express that energy. For me, that form of expression is storytelling. When I sit on the train during my commute to and from work, I write. I write stories, I write my feelings on a particular subject, I’m writing this blog post right now…

        The point is, everyone has creative expression inside of them. EVERYONE! Why keep it in? Even if you don’t decide to share it with anyone, do it for yourself. Scale that rock wall, paint that still-life, take that cooking class you’ve been meaning to take, and never let anyone or anything make you feel like you always have to play someone else’s music; compose your own. By day’s end, one very important question must be answered: “Did I get to be me today? When I write, whether people like my stories or not, the answer is always, “Yes!”

    Find your creative outlet, plug into it, and you’ll run just fine.

Link to Blog Post on The Elliot Review

So, I had a crazy-busy week this week and I have been exhausted. I get on that train every morning and every evening and fight to keep on hitting the keys on my laptop. Fighting through the fatigue, and trying desperately to tune-out the rude commuters all around me, talking on their cell phones and blasting their headphones.

I love writing and I am having a blast continuing Willow’s next chapter, but where to find the energy? Sometimes it’s even hard for me to tune out the noise in my own head that reminds me of all the stuff I have to get done that day at work. I’m so, so tired.

Today when I got home, I got a huge boost of energy. No, I’m not talking about caffeine. Your letters, your drawings, your designs your colors and most importantly your words, all moved me. It is I who thank you. A book is just a bunch of papers with letters on them unless someone reads it. There is no story being told, if there is no audience to tell it to. I wish I were there in person to tell you (my amazing audience) how much your support means to me. Your letters have inspired me so much and when I get on that train in the morning, I won’t hear any noise around me. I won’t be thinking about how tired I am. I’ll only feel the words you have written and it will give me all the energy I need to finish Willow’s next story, and the one after that, and the one after that. It has taken a class full of students to teach me so much.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!

Your friend forever

-Joe Bianco

P.S.

Visiting your class was one of the most amazing experiences of my life and whether Willow makes it big, or just plain flops, I will never forget my precious time with you all.

Have a fun and safe summer.

About a month ago, I posted how fortunate I was to visit Caroline G. Atkinson School in Freeport Long Island for a Question & Answer session with 50 6th graders who read my novel. I can not begin to describe what I felt when I received 50 Thank You cards from these amazing and appreciative students. I wish I could share all of these cards with you. Here are just some of the inspirational drawings and notes I received.

I was extremely fortunate to have been invited to speak at Caroline G. Atkinson School in Freeport before 50 6th graders who were reading my book. We had a terrific question & answer session where I got some wonderful insight into how my novel is being received by these amazing children. They even gave me some great ideas which I will take with me as I continue to develop the tales of Willow and her friends.

My favorite part was where I got to read them an excerpt from my new novel, that I am currently writing, which is the next chapter of Willow's life. It was very well received (insert sigh of relief). I can honestly say, I have never had more fun in my life. The kids were so respectful and excited. They reminded me why I chose to write a middle-grade series.

Special thanks to their teacher (and my niece), Jillian Onorato. That's her, in the green shirt, on our right. I'm thrilled that I was able to donate these books to students who truly appreciated it.

Just some of my favorite questions that the students asked me:
"What was your favorite part of the book?"
"Who was your favorite character?"
"Which character are you most like?"
"Would you like to see your book become a movie?"
"How do we get the next book?" (I think that was my favorite question.)

In addition to all the verbal "Thanks" I received I was blessed with a lovely piece of art from one of the talented artists in the class as well as written notes from other students telling me how much they enjoyed my book.

It was never my intention to impress these children. I'd much rather inspire and I can only hope that I did that, if even in the slightest way. But if I didn't, the visit was still worth it because in the end, each and every one of them inspired me.