Write Now with Shadra Strickland

Who are you?

Hello there! I am Shadra Strickland, author/illustrator and Chair of Illustration at the Maryland Institute College of Art.

What do you write?

I write picture books and poetry for now.

Though I’ve been illustrating books since 2009, my writing didn’t take off until years later. My mother was an English teacher, so reading and writing were a part of my childhood daily life.

The stories that I have published are big, loud rallying calls to play and center around joy and community. Most reflect my own childhood experiences. Though I am beginning to expand and write about subjects that are somewhat less familiar, there will always be some hint of my experience as a child in the South. The joy, the sunshine, the big-heartedness, the ease of language that shows up in my work - that is all directly tied to my upbringing in Atlanta, GA. The next few stories that I have written are in prose rather than the two rhythmic texts that have been published - they will focus more on relationships and small moments rather than the big bold books that I currently write.

Creating is not easy. Writing comes slightly easier to me than illustrating – think sprint vs marathon - but they both have their pain points. The spark of an idea is always exciting, and being in the ideation and research space can help that idea take shape as beautiful and unexpected gems. There are moments of great joy when something comes out the way that I envision it in my head, but more often than not, the journey is perilous and riddled with self-doubt. When I have crossed the finish line and the final book shows up at my door, I can tap into the magic of it all, and yes, I do end up loving it.

Where do you write?

The initial writing can happen just about anywhere - trains, cafes, dining room table, etc- though I never write in my art studio. The work of finishing a manuscript and editing happens in my office at a black desk lacquered in big beautiful flowers. One day I’ll write something romantic to do the desk justice.

My notes begin on paper. I use a Hobonichi Techo planner (if you know, you know) and a commonplace notebook where I journal and jot down ideas. I write with a bright yellow Lamy fountain pen. When I am doing research online, I use the Notes app to save links and jot down ideas. I type up my manuscripts in Word.

When do you write?

If an idea is hot, I tend to stick with it until I have a decent draft, which usually takes half a day or so. I edit for days after that until the story is complete enough to send to my agent for feedback. From there, I may make a few more changes to it before writing a query letter and sending it to my editor. I have found that writing my own query letters or author’s notes helps me fully understand the intention behind the story I’m trying to write. If my story doesn’t align with the pitch, or if the pitch is unclear or meanders on paper, it usually means my story lacks focus and signals to me to go back and edit again.

The total process is about two weeks. I have to negotiate my time between my job at the institution- so when I do write, I have to sit my self-doubt in a corner and get the thing down.

Why do you write?

I write because it’s fun. I enjoy language. I like the poetry and musicality of the thing. I like being able to make a reader feel the joy and colors of an experience.

There’s also service to ego. I grew up being told I was gifted. What a shame it would be to waste that. The reward center in my brain is directly tied to what I can accomplish as an artist. If I didn’t create, I imagine that I’d seek that dopamine through overconsumption and would probably fall into darker corners of life. Being creative and sharing my work is my salvation.

How do you overcome writer's block?

I believe that the creative mind needs steady stimulation and periods of rest. When my mother passed in 2017, I needed to rest. I tried to make work, but I wasn’t creating as my usual self and had to honor the great spiritual untethering that happened during that time. So, I still made things, but at a much slower pace, and it was okay. It took me about three years to finally begin to feel like myself again.

But sure, there are days when I just don’t have it. I'll still sit in my studio and stare at the blank page for hours (or play a dumb game on my phone or doomscroll) until something trickles out. I am at my best first thing in the morning, and a ritual certainly helps. If things are going poorly, I jump on my rowing machine for a while. I find that it helps to get out of my head and burn up that stale energy with movement. And when I really just ain't got it, I’ll head to my basement, turn on Netflix and empty my brain. Then I’m back in the studio the next morning - unless I have to teach. If I am teaching the next day I will drag myself off the couch and work for at least a couple of hours before bed.

For many years when I was running, I’d post “Run…coffee…work….” to Facebook as soon as I’d wake up - mainly as a way to program my brain for what was ahead and help me focus.

A few years after that, when I began taking on more responsibility at my day job and found myself being less productive creatively, I began making graphs in my journal with washi tape of how I was actually spending my time - the hours I spent creating, my work at the institution, and my time goofing off. It was humbling. I realized then that I spent more time talking about how much work I had to do and how tired I was rather than having my butt in the chair working. Now, instead of counting the minutes or hours in my day. I focus more on the big tasks and the overall time I have to complete them, with a different kind of awareness.

It has become popular for people to self-diagnose their ADHD or neurodivergence. I believe most creatives are in tune with how we are wired differently. If I don’t contain my creative energy, it will spill out all over the place. I’d never finish anything and would be a bit miserable, chaotic, and mean. My routine now is to be up at 7. I try to work out shortly after waking, before my brain realizes what I’m doing to my body - either a walk with my dog or a row and calisthenics in my modest home gym/attic. Then a quick breakfast (I’m addicted to dates these days) and coffee. I’m in the studio by 9 or 10. Mid-day is the treacherous time where nothing wants to get done. I may force the focus by rowing for a few minutes or doing some productive procrastination - admin, writing, research, etc. Then I am usually at the drawing table again for a few hours after dinner. Bed is at 11, but can spill over to 1 in the morning if I’m on a deadline. I am always up at 7 AM with or without an alarm.

Rituals help, but they can also be reevaluated and reinvented.