Dealing with burnout as a creator // art, writing, & reading vlog
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ต.ค. 2024
- Let's talk about books, writing, illustrating, and dealing with the dreaded thing that is known as "burnout"...
Hi friends!
I hope you're having a lovely day, wherever you are!
Lately, I've been feeling quite burnt out and overwhelmed...all because I love doing some many different (creative) things. Realistically, I don't have enough time to put all of my attention into each one.
This has all lead me to a realization which I wanted to talk to you about. I also want to thank you for all of your constant support and understanding. Your kindness never ceases to amaze me! :)
I"m also EXTREMELY excited to show you the new author portraits I've drawn, as well as talk to you about the new items coming to my Etsy shop very soon! This is going to be my biggest Etsy drop yet, and I simply can't wait to share everything with you!
And of course, I've been reading some wonderful books, which I think you might enjoy too :)
Sending you my warmest wishes,
Carolyn Marie :)
My Social Media: CarolynMarieReads
***My Etsy shop - www.etsy.com/s...
***My Website/Portfolio - carolyncastagn...
***Art/Book Instagram - / carolynmariereads
***GoodReads - / carolynmariereads
***Business inquiries: carolyncastagna.artist@gmail.com
***Want to write to me or send something?
Carolyn Castagna
P. O. Box 773
Greenlawn NY 11740
United States
*Please don't feel like you need to send me anything, but if you'd like to I would be honored!!!* :)
***About me -
I'm a freelance illustrator and writer who recently graduated from college at the Fashion Institute of Technology with my Bachelors of Fine Arts in Illustration with a minor in English/Writing.
My greatest passion in life is combining my love of illustrating, writing, and reading!
Happy Reading :)
#booktube #writing #vlog
Nice to see you again Caroline. Never mind about once a week posting. We’re gonna watch you anyway, because you are unique.
Thank you for being so kind and understanding :)
Absolutely make sure you come first Carolyn! Focus on the dream that makes you the happiest! As others in the comment section said we will be here and if you scale back on the frequency of videos it will be okay. Mental health over everything! 🤗 Trust me editing ALONE is a huge BEAST and time SUCK! 🌻
Thank you for being so kind, understanding, and supportive 🥹💕
striving for quality over quantity is never wrong. even more, focusing on your passions and what brings you joy is imperative. your videos are of great quality, we, your fans appreciate them and you :) that will not change by you going once a week! rest, draw, write and relax :)
Thank you so much for your encouragement and understanding :)
I am so glad you are going to focus on your writing and illustrating! I can't wait to see your book in print one day! I am so grateful for the once a week upload, thank you for being here and being you!
Thank you so much! I can’t wait either 😊 thank *you* for being here and for being so kind!
It's easy to get overwhelmed when you have so many things going on at the same time. It really wears on your mental state as well as your physical body. The stress can effect your creativity and instead of getting things done it'll cause you to 'shut down'. I'm perfectly happy with only one video a week and I'm excited over your novel progress. Above all else take care of yourself. A little time with you each week is better than no time at all. xo
You should prioritize yourself above everything else. I would be very happy to see you upload even once every 2 weeks if it meant you were happier and had more time to do your illustrations and worked on your novel more. People don't realize how much time consuming drawing and/or writing really is. Take care of yourself. Happy creating (and reading) Carolyn!
Thank you so much! This truly means the world to me 😊 wishing you the very best as well!!
That's very exciting about your developing book and no one will blame you for taking breaks as life is busy (I know how much work it takes 😅), but always happy to listen to your "soliloquies" 😄📚
Your Proust drawing is very impressive.
Thank you so much Eric! Yes, I’m sure you understand 😅 Again, thank you! I always look forward to your video as well 📖✨
So proud of you for prioritizing your mental well-being. Burnout is unfortunately common in our society. It’s really motivating and encouraging to witness a creative, like yourself, to be courageous enough to rebalance your responsibilities in a way that best supports you. And what ultimately happens is you can then show up as your best self for your passions! Brava Carolyn!
Quality over quantity... ALWAYS! "You do you" and don't let any one, especially Social Media, determine what you do. All the best ...
It can be hard to change routines or let go of something, coming from a perfectionist, so I empathize with the pressure you put on yourself! But you are not failing by changing; you are human, and different seasons mean prioritizing differently. Proud of you for realizing what is giving you the most life right now. You cannot do everything, but you can focus on what is energizing. 💛💛💛
So lovely to hear from you Carolyn. You are doing the right thing - it is so important to look after your mental health and not to put yourself under so much pressure. Hope putting out one less video helps. Take care.
Once a week is great if that works best for you. We enjoy all of your efforts. Your vlogs are excellent and I will continue to follow you no matter how often you upload new content. Keep up the great work! 💕
One day a week uploads sounds great to me! Do whatever you need to in order to have good mental health and not be burnt out. So excited for the Etsy restock! Please give a 24 hour heads up about the restock so I don’t find out about it after everything is already sold out.
You care and concern is laudable. I'd have just ghosted TH-cam. A case can be made that art is the pinnacle of society. I do not mean that in a status sense. Starving artist is a known thing. But it is the pinnacle in the sense that artists comment on the past, present, and future. What would scientists build if they did not have art to inspire their ideas? Why would people become doctors if there was no concern for humanity? Having the opportunity to participate in your journey is a gift.
Carolyn I am so glad you are not persisting in a lifestyle that is burning you out - I have done that before and it always comes crashing down in the long run. Time is precious and limited, very glad to hear you are reprioritizing your allocation to pursue your lifelong goal and taking your own mental health seriously. I am dying with curiosity and excitement for your Etsy restock, Marcel Proust looks fantastic and can't wait to hear about the other new items you are adding to your shop!
We are rooting for your success in all aspects of life, and you uploading less on YT is not going to change that :)
each video you upload is a gift, regardless of the frequency!!! john green would give your plan to combat burnout five stars
I’m going to weep 🥹💕
Appreciate you and your channel. Continue in whatever way YOU choose!
we love you! please don’t stress, we just want you to be happy
I really love your videos and they are valuable to me. Please do not pressure yourself. Take a break if you need.
You are such an amazing and inspiring person Carolyn! Please take all the time out you need to recharge your batteries and focus on your exciting career! You are one of my favourite BookTubers of all time :)
Eeeeee!! So excited for the Etsy drop!!! Notifications are on! Can’t wait! No worries on one day a week, we’ll be here! 😊
Sounds like you are making intelligent strategic decisions to reach your goals - I admire that and wish you all success with your wonderful talents : )
Thank you so much :)
Dear Carolyn, love your videos, make your works on your time, i'll always be here to support you! Love Marcel Proust's portrait! And yes, read Proust, i know you're gonna like it!
I recently started watching your videos and I just have to say, you inspire me so much! In everything! So take your time, take care of yourself and your dreams! You are amazing and I'm always so happy to watch your videos :)
That means the world! Thank you so much for letting me know 😊 you’re incredibly kind! :)
Oh my! Listening to your novel outline, I just realized what has been going on with my own piece of writing. Ive written myself into a corner! I feel like this just got me unstuck so thank you so much. This entire video was full of great revelations. thank you for these very honest thoughts and comments. You have high quality and I love that you want to make less. I will be here even if you have less of a churn out because it’s great to look forward to content. It’s nice to have to wait for something.
Your picture of Marcel Proust looks absolutely incredible! I completely understand feeling intimidated by Proust, I hope you eventually give him a go because it's just one of me favourite books ever; truth be told it's the only book I think holds a candle to Anna Karenina - if I had a gun to my head I couldn't choose between Anna Karenina or In Search of Lost Time. I'm planning my first re-read of Proust for this year, so I hope you become encouraged to give him a go.
I've heard so many things, both positive and negative, about Norwegian Wood and I've managed to stumble across a copy recently, so maybe that will be my next read. I'm really intrigued as to what it's like, you've certainly made it sound interesting.
Caroline, you need to do what you need to feed your creativity, being out in nature is definitely a must for recharging yourself. You will do your best work if you take care of yourself. Once a week is still a lot so do not worry, we love seeing you whenever you upload. just curious too if you have ever read "A Gentleman in Moscow"?
It must be so amazing to be able to live for your art and make TH-cam videos. I'm a traditionally published author in Belgium (it truly is a dream and i'm grateful every day), but I can't live from writing books :) Hopefully you can one day, in combination with YT and your art. It's one of my goals too, so i really feel you! You're doing great and you're so talented. Wishing you all the best. 🤎
Terrific video Carolyn. I'm reading A Farewell to Arms and I need to get on with my reading if I'm going to have the chance to read Steinbeck before the 26th. I haven't been reading a lot so I need to put my head down and get to it. Maybe this weekend. I love your video's and will look forward to your video each week. Happy working and so hoping you accomplish your goals.
@CarolynMarieReads. Hi Carolyn, how do I message you, I've never been on telegram. Sorry I'm not brilliant with all of these different places or platforms.
Really good to hear your thoughts on posting regularly. I feel as an adult you have to prioritize all parts of your life: work, relationships and TH-cam. I love how you used the concept of “pie” to equally distributing time.
I am a new elementary school teacher in Canada. :) So I read a lot of kid books and try to make a classroom library that will give the kids the love of reading.
ugh, burnout is the absolute worst! we totally understand how busy you are, and if you wanna cut down on the content creation (which can be a nightmare to think of ideas for videos). also hearing you talk about john green talking about Liverpool FC was not at all expected from this video haha!
Thank you so much for always being so kind and understanding :) 😂 a pleasant surprise for us both
So, so excited for the live show! I finished OTWAW a few days ago. I had just heard about The Anthropocene Reviewed from Janssen at Everyday Reading! I have it on hold now. She said it was similar to her book club pick for the month Textbook Amy Krause Rosenthall.
Wonderful for you to be going to once a week! Of course we want to support your mental health, and can't wait for your Etsy drop! I've been wanting to buy something!
Fantastic job, Carolyn! Amazing! Congrats on your book and your art job! ... You know, I know very well what burnout is. The job hunt burnout is the worst, believe me. The worst experience in my life. I love your videos! Greetings from the EU!
Just to let you know that to keep your flowers 🌹 longer put a spoon full of sugar in your water and congrats to you on your book and if you need prof readers I would love to read your book and I also letting you know that I have had a mild heart attack and been in hospital for a few days and missed your amazing videos prayers and thoughts for you and your family love your Aussie family friend John ❤❤❤
I hope you make a full recovery. There is nothing in this world more frightening than being tied to a hospital bed wondering if you'll ever get back to normal life. However, we do get better, and please keep up us up-to-date on your progress.
@@jamesduggan7200 thank you 😊 very much for your kind message and it’s so true and I will keep you up to date on how I am going
I am always so impressed when I see you drawing, the fact that these are graphite illustrations is just mind boggling to me ❤
It's nice to see you live your life to the fullest. May you continue to receive more blessings along the way.
Thank you so much :)
Very much enjoying Once There Was a War myself, it's interesting to read while simultaneously taking a course on the Second World War - we genuinely read an article on the wartime press censorship system in Canada on the same day I read Steinbeck's comments on censorship in his introduction.
Very best of wishes with combatting the burnout, excited to hear more about your writing as the book develops! 😊 I've tried writing fiction a number of times and struggle to stay invested but it's really nice to see someone putting so much love into the process. Perhaps it'll help me find the motivation to finish my own story soon! (It's genuinely less than 2,000 words long right now and yet I started it almost two years ago 😂)
I liked Steinbeck's angle, reporting on ordinary soldiers rather than overblown heroes and distant generals and leaders.
A keyboard for the iPAD might be a great idea. I purchased one for my tablet and all of a sudden it became so much more. I recommend (reader and writer here as well :) )
Scratch and stiff snickers haha😀 oh and i'm currently just about to finish When Time Stopped by Ariana Neumann which i'm loving, it's a great read into her research of her Jewish relatives, and primarily her Father's life during WW2 in Prague. I've suffered burn out a couple of times during my life, the first time in my early 20's where i was constantly writing songs for the band i was in, and then several years later studying piano and after playing for near enough 6 hours every day, after my final exam I just couldn't look at my piano again for a number of years. But now i've reached a stage where burnout hasn't been an issue and whenever i sit down to write music it just flows or comes after several months work.
Hi Carolyn, I love watching your videos. One video a week is excellent for me. I can look forward to each one with trepidation, wondering what they might be about.
I would love to see you illustrate the Charles Rennie Mackintosh and also his wife Margaret MacDonald Mackintosh. They lived and worked mainly in Glasgow, Scotland (apologies if you already know their work)
I know they are not authors but the Architecture he produced and their combined body of art work they produced is so stunning so original. Their hand produced interior decorations are so beautiful that I think you would fall in love with them if they aren’t already known to you.
I would also love to hear about any books that you would link with their work.
Perhaps you could make a whole episode examining that topic?
Or, maybe you could look at a range of artists and makers, perhaps including people like William Morris and the whole Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain. The Bloomsbury Set in London, I believe Virginia Wolf was part of that set.
Or the Great Gardeners 🌷 of Britain who have ‘painted’ with flowers Vita Sackville West and others. I have to go out now. I will send some more information about these in another comment.
I’m sure you would be captivated by images of the work of both Mackintoshes on Google.
A grateful follower in whom you have reignited a love of great literature after many years.
Kind regards
Claire Bott
I think I like your videos because you are an artist who loves what you are doing. Art comes first, and that’s the way for every artist. All the other things are secondary. And I mean ‘art’ in all-encompassing way, writing, painting, drawing, reading, performing……
Please never feel guilty for prioritizing your dreams and your mental health. We love you, and we will be here when you’re ready ❤
Carolyn, always take care of yourself first! Cutting back or taking breaks without apology is always acceptable. Also I LOVED the Anthropocene Reviewed! Mostly I was glad to find someone who likes The Mountain Goats and Mario Kart as much as I do.
I give the concept of self-care 5 stars.
Now I really want to know your final thoughts about Norwegian's woods ending
i'm so shocked she's enjoying it!!
Hi carolyn, It is always better to slow down and take a breader. Quality over quanity always in everything that you do. Your hard work and genuine personality shines through whenever you come on camera. Take care of yourself, we are here and will support you in any way we can. Can’t wait for your Esty drop!!
What a beautiful vlog x thanks for sharing, I watched it while doing the dishes 😂
dear carolyn, i hope you know that your videos are always appreciated and that you shouldn't feel too preassured to upload!
as far as my reading goes, i've been getting back into reading some manga again these past weeks which has been very exiting. unfortunatly i had to dnf 'once there was a war' since it really wasn't working for me atm but i'm still looking forward for the live discussion! :)
Thank you so much! I’m glad you’re enjoying your current reads and that you’re still looking forward to the liveshow :)
Recently finished «Once There Was A War» for Game of Tomes, loved it! Read the John Green-book last fall, really enjoyed it as well! 😊
Been through burnout myself, it is no joke, for sure, please take care! ❤
I learned along time ago that you can't be happy in life unless you are happy with your career decisions, we spend the majority of our lives in our careers, thinking about our careers and sometimes commuting to and from. So take the road less traveled by and live without regrets. Can't wait to read your novel!
I read that Murakami's book in 2009! I liked it.
Once a week is just fine. Take care of YOU first! You need time to pursue your dreams.
Sending loads of love ❤️
Sending loads of love back :)
im so exited for the book ahhh
Thank you 🥹
Thats great that you have taken a break from youtube to focus on your mental and physical health. A suggestion that might work to lessen the workload is probably to get a editor and that can help you with some of the stress of everything going on at once
Love your commitment to quality and personal/professional growth. Looking forward to the debate on Emmy's channel later this month
Thank you! 😊 Me too!!
Once a week is amazing, some creators do every other week or once a month.
I love it when authors narrate their own audio books. If you're ever in the mood for some more non-fiction, I can highly recommend any of Jon Ronson's books, which he narrates himself, adding little side-notes as he goes, making it even better than the print edition IMO. The last one I listened to was So You've Been Publicly Shamed.
Even if you only uploaded once a month we would all still be here and excited for new videos! Please take care of yourself, Burn out can be so exhausting. Sending love
Thank you so much Bryony!! Sending love back :)
I'm so excited for you! Having your posts are amazing. Did you ever think about making bookmarks with your drawing?
every copy of the first edition of The Anthropocene Reviewed was signed :D having an unsigned first edition would be a rarity
I love your vlogs and soliloquy's and agree quality over quantity. I started to watch you because of the reading and books but actually now I love following your artistic journey and look forward to the day I can buy and read your book that you have written and illustrated :)
"home in the darkness,home on the highway,home isn't my way,home will never be,burn out the day,burn out the night,I can't see no reason to put up a fight,I'm living for giving the devil his due,but I'm burning I'm burning I'm burning for you"
Isn't that the Blue Oyster Cult?
@@jamesduggan7200 The very same!😎
Less postings just means I get more reading done like I should be doing anyway 😅won't hear any complaints from me! However, the anticipation from the ETSY announcement will be keeping me up at night until I know what it is lol.
Really curious how you will go about Proust if you decide to read his 1.2 million words
Yes, fast and perfect burnout is meant only for astronauts during the liftoff of the rocket. 😋 I think it is essential for a creative person like you to have a balanced life and remember to keep the well full. Surely we humans use to learn things often the hard way but please, do not let yourself sink into the swamp of burnout mind. It is painfully hard to get up the brain high level again when it is drained into the void during the years.
I have actually wondered how you are able to keep such a fast pace and high quality on youtube. I am always very interested in your postings but I would also be totally happy even if you just scanned your magnificent bookcase, picked up some random pearls, admired the covers and read some random passages.
Once there was a war. I thought so too, that sounds like once upon a time there was a war. War is so absurd. Adult men and women make their best mental and physical effort to destroy one another. Madness. And also it sounds that once there was a war. Only once, not even twice. If only it were so. That one time lunacy. Humanity, so thick to learn, even the hard way.....
Whoops 😬 Claire Bott again. That last comment should have read, I would love to see you illustrate ‘a portrait of’ Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his Wife.
im excited for the liveshow but its at 5am my time so not sure if i can make it. i have only read a farewell to arms so far not sure if i have time to get to once there was a war
It's better to burn out than to fade away.
You really should look after yourself and your dreams. We'll still be here for you even if you take a year off YT. Yo do you, girl! 💃💃💃
I wish I had enjoyed Norwegian Wood as much as you have. Unfortunately, the way the female characters were written/discussed just felt too unrealistic and generally didn’t sit right with me 😭 It’s the only book of Murakami’s that I have read, so I hope that when I read more of his work I will be able to enjoy and appreciate his writing the way so many other people do!
Hi Carolyn. Did you see the piece in the NYT about TH-cam burnout. Its a thing. You are wise to step away. If you want to read it look it up "Young Creators Are Burning Out and Breaking Down." As for what I am reading, I just finished "We Don't Know Ourselves: A Modern History of Ireland" by Fintan OToole (****). Loved it. Now I am reading Braiding Sweetgrass. I've only just begun but so far, its impressive too.
What candle do you have burning? I'm looking for new candles to try.
If you haven’t already followed Christy Ann Jones, she’s also a reader and writer like you. She has made a series of videos where she tries the writing techniques of different authors while she works on bookish projects. You might find some joyful ideas for places to bring your laptop or a notebook, and different times, routines to try 😊
The entirety of Lost Time was only published after the author's passing, so altho Proust wrote it all, various editors contributed to the final one or two novels (depending on the edition) in the series. It mirrors Marcel's life, and therefore the first, Swann's Way, takes us up thru adolescence but the following five cover maybe ten years. As you might expect, the quality is uneven. The 3d and 4th are the best, the 1st is easiest, and the last two are a bit rambling. I think perhaps the final editors were more concerned with clarifying than MP himself was. Ironically, that contribution was more confusing than the others, which bring out the color and color-ability of memory.
Would be so cool if you could do a portrait of William Faulkner!!
Definitely take as much time as you need, mental health is king! Also quality over quantity always😉
Thank you so much 😊
Carolyn take all the time you need! 💖
Ps: I hate the way Murakami writes women I don't understand all the hype that he has 🤢
Get surface Pro 2 in 1 for travels
carolyn, do you know what day you'll be uploading?
Yes, on Friday’s :)
@@CarolynMarieReads yay!!!
TELL ME YOU ARE COMING UP WITH BOOKMARKS🥹🥹❤️
I just found you! I’m currently reading Lolita. I agree on what a lot of people have said about it.. the writing is good, but the content itself is.. I have no other word for it… disgusting. I’m trying to read more classics. Do you have a favorite? Ps- also a creator 🤗 I paint people (portraits) ❤️
Also, you know, no offense at all, I was just wondering for some time, if someone in your family is or was Czech. You know, I'm from the Czech Republic and I know for the fact that name "Marie" is a very common Czech name, in fact it's the typical Czech name. So, I thought, maybe, someone in your family is or was Czech. Maybe it has nothing to do with it, maybe you chose it, because you like it, I don't know. Cheers!
I miss when you reviewed Russian Classics😢. Sometimes when you find someone who loves what you love, you know that it won’t last forever because life is like that. I check in periodically but not as much anymore. I do still watch your old videos when you were devouring Russian lit because they were so inspiring. Keep pursuing your dream, though. I hope you become the next Kate diCamillo.