Compartments: Sneak Peek into Kim's Drawers

Dear Alison,

I cannot tell a lie. The idea of compartments and compartmentalizing has preoccupied my brain since our last meeting. You told me about a friend from your carnival days that didn't have compartments. She lived life as an open book. I admire those people who live a compartment-less life, but I am not one of them. I will NEVER be one of them. Truth be told, I have compartments for my compartments. I am a private person (believe it or not), who is completely happy keeping my compartments sealed off from one another. In fact, I am the only one who knows the contents of all my compartments, but something changed for me last week. Ever since our conversation, I haven't stopped wondering why some people have compartments and other people don't. I think compartments are a Darwin Response. Survival of the fittest: keep caches of food in case of emergency.

I have one of these. Might need it if the ice storm hits.

I thought about ways I could combine my compartments. I don't know if I'll be able to but today, I'm cleaning out my compartments (or at least allowing you to peak into the them.)

A SNEAK PEAK INTO MY DRAWERS...

WRITER COMPARTMENT CONTENTS

      WHAT MOST PEOPLE IN THE WRITING WORLD KNOW:

• Writer of Young Adult Fiction
• Blogger with InkSister Alison Green Myers at InkSistersWrite
• Author of five books 
• Co-RA of Eastern PA SCBWI
• Active Social Media Presence

      WHAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW:

• Writing Coach/Manuscript Review Servies: I started coaching other writers about a year ago. Right now, my numbers are small, but I find great satisfaction in helping them. This year, I've decided to take the next step and shout out to social media that I am a Writing Coach and I'm open for business. I want to help you, and You, and YOU find success in the writing world. Check out my website: KimBriggsWrite
• Presenter, Workshop Leader, Public Speaker, Writing Teacher: I love to present and run workshops. It's like my favorite...

• Dabbler in picture books and nonfiction picture books
• Insecure, self-doubter of my writing. YEP, I'm just like every other writer who worries their work isn't good enough.
• Love to write at home by myself without anyone around except my dogs
• The actual # of hours I spend writing, reading, and working on my writing craft, social media, and writer outreach.  (No one in any of my compartments really knows how much time I spend.)

WORKING LIFE COMPARTMENT CONTENTS: 

People from my Working Life don't know about my Writing Life and vice versa. 

• Past Teacher: I was a high school English teacher before I stayed home to raise my 3 kids.
• Current Substitute Teacher: I sub nearly every day to help support my family and their hobbies in addition to writing, social media, reading, parenting, working out, playing with my dogs, occasionally cooking, barely cleaning. 
• Depending on the next few months of book sales and writer presentations, I may reactivate my teaching certificate.       **This is my Art vs. Making a Living Struggle.
• Volunteer/Campaign Coordinator/Surveyor/Zoning Officer/Track Coach/Ski Instructor along with all sorts of other odd jobs

PRIVATE LIFE COMPARTMENT CONTENTS: 

Most people from my Working Life and Writing Life don't know anything about my private life. You'll see I'm pretty tight lipped about this compartment even when I'm sharing.

• 3 Kids (I keep my kids most private. I am an overprotective momma bear who will eat you for breakfast if you mess with my babies.)
• Married my high school sweetheart
• 2 dogs (For social media presence, I talk more about them then my kids.)
• Horse lover and owner 
• Love the outdoors. Hike, bike, run, swim, ski, snowshoe. Yep, I love it all!
• Prefer to live as a hermit out in the woods with my family, pets, and a large supply of dark chocolate and soy chai lattes. Survive living in the real world by taking month long camping trips and short ones each year. 
• Love gardening, canning, and making food from scratch. I've composited since high school. I buy green. I recycle, reuse, but most actively, reduce my family's footprint when I can.

Most of the time I mange to keep my compartments separate. Occasionally, the contents look like this...

aka Dropping the Laundry Ball

But there have been a handful of times my Private Life collides with my Writing and Working Life. Starr Fall's Book Launch Party was one of those times.

The Starr Fall Book Launch Party was so much fun, and I loved that my compartments collided.

This sharing is taking it's toll on me. That's Kim Briggs the Introvert talking... 

Kim Briggs the Extrovert wants to share one last piece of news. My short story, Avalanche (that ski instructor compartment came in handy for this one), is part of the Valentine Kisses Anthology and is only $.99 for a limited time. Preorder Valentine Kisses today to get your copy.

TIME TO DISH! I'd love to peek into your drawers or hear about your compartments (or lack of compartments.) Send me a picture or comment below. 

Sharing the writer love one letter at a time,
Kim

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