What does it mean to live a creative life? with Cassy Polimeni
"My current definition of a creative life would be to have work (and a life) that leaves me with enough energy and resources to tinker on my made up stories regularly but at my own pace"
Warami and welcome to the What does it mean to live a creative life? series.
Here we look at how fellow creatives are living a creative life and what that means to them. We all measure success in different ways and we all have differing priorities, but there’s much we can learn from one another, so let’s dive in!
Meet Cassy …
Cassy Polimeni’s books for children include CBCA Notables The Garden at the End of the World (picture book) and Ella and the Amazing Frog Orchestra (junior fiction), Ella and the Sleepover Safari and forthcoming picture books with CSIRO Publishing and Affirm Press. The former Editor of Destinations Australia magazine, she has also been published in The Guardian, Peninsula Kids, and KidTown Melbourne. Cassy is the recipient of an Australian Society of Authors (ASA) Award Mentorship and a Billilla Artists Studio Residency. She lives with her family on Bunurong Country, in southeast Melbourne.
Cassy, what creative things do you do? Tell us about your creative pursuits whether you classify them as your job or hobby or side hustle, we’d love to hear about all of them.
I’m a bit of a one-note song – I write, and that’s about it! I would love to be able to sing or draw well, but writing is the one thing I feel qualified to do, and the one thing I’ve consistently been drawn to since I was a kid.
Where are you at with your creative pursuits right now? How do they fit into your life?
I have written my whole life, but started taking my writing (especially fiction) more seriously after my daughter was born. At first that meant writing in the cracks and a lot of late night sessions. These days I am more likely to set the alarm for 5.30am and get an hour or so in before she wakes up – something I never imagined I would do! School has been a game changer, and this year I was lucky enough to be awarded a Billilla Studio Artists Residency by Bayside City Council which means I have a dedicated space to work in for the whole year (a former servants cottage on the grounds of a mansion – it’s very Downton Abbey meets A Room of One’s Own!) The flipside to all of this is that my freelance work has been evaporating. At first I didn’t rush to find more because I was happy to have a lighter load so I could focus on writing and launching books and dipping my toe into school visits and library talks, but it’s coming to a point where I will need to look for more work to supplement writing (and life). So I’m starting to think about that, while hoping to make the most of this residency opportunity to make some progress on a couple of projects.
What does living a successful creative life look like to you? Are you living that right now? Or working towards it?
My thinking around this has changed a lot over the years. I used to have a romantic fantasy that the ideal creative life meant doing your creative ‘thing’ all the time, or as much as possible, not burdened by mundane things like shopping and cleaning and working in jobs you don’t enjoy. It’s pretty rare to make a living as a writer of fiction in Australia, but these days I often think even if I could I’m not sure I would want to because I think I would probably crumble under the pressure of delivering X number of books a year, or sticking to a genre I’m known for.
My current definition of a creative life would be to have work (and a life) that leaves me with enough energy and resources to tinker on my made up stories regularly but at my own pace. And if my stories don’t owe me a living, I can be free to follow my interests. (This is not to say I don’t support fair pay for artists and writers!)
A big part of living a creative life for me also includes having your own dedicated space to write, play, daydream and decorate as you wish – something I am lucky enough to have this year (and which I will have to figure out how to recreate after that!)
How do you prioritise your creativity? Do you want to prioritise it more or are you content with where you’re at?
I feel pretty lucky at the moment with the time and space I have to write (apart from the growing need to find more paid work). Something I probably need to focus more on is finding a balance between writing and life so I can be more present, and be able to switch off at times and not punish myself when the writing isn’t flowing. And perhaps letting other forms of creativity in – even if I’m not particularly good at … for example, drawing or macrame(!), a sense of play might help fuel my imagination.
Do you have short- and long-term plans for your creativity? If so, what are they? If not, do you think you need one? Why/why not?
I have two WIPs that I would love to finally finish (middle grade and YA), and two more in the wings (ideas or notes, rather than drafts – an adult novel and an interlinked short story collection). My main short-term plan is to work my way through these (two at a time so if I get stuck I can procrastinate by working on the other!). I think the most important creative ‘plan’ you can have is blocking out time in your diary (whether that’s half an hour each day or a couple of hours each week/month) to work on your art so it doesn’t keep getting bumped in favour of more concrete tasks, chores and life admin.
What’s one big dream you have for your creativity? Share your wildest, grandest dream even if you think it’s unattainable.
Ooh this is a fun question! I’d love to see my books translated into multiple languages and made into a movie or TV series.
Do you have any exciting news/events etc. you’d like to share?
I'm thrilled with how well my first junior fiction book, Ella and the Amazing Frog Orchestra, has been received. It was awarded a CBCA Notable earlier this year which was a truly unexpected honour (the Younger Readers category spans such a broad age range and there are so many amazing books!) and I have another exciting announcement to share very soon. It’s always lovely to be recognised, but particularly for a series which I spent so long working and reworking. There was something about it that wouldn’t let me go (even after more than two years and 19 rejections!) so I’m thrilled that it’s resonating with others as well. I'm hoping to get back into schools and libraries with both Ella books this year, and will be teaching some fun workshops both in the classroom and at a holiday camp, keep an eye on my Instagram or Substack newsletter for updates.
Thank you so much for joining me,
, and for sharing your insights into your world of writing. I’m such a big fan of your books and have been ever since I first read your picture book The Garden at the End of the World, and we adore Ella in my household too, so cannot wait to read more of your work!Much of what you talked about resonates with me. It’s not feasible for most authors (speaking from an Australian perspective) to make a living solely from their books, so it’s important to acknowledge and share that reality for up and coming authors.
Your tip to block out time in your schedule for your creative work – whether it be a daily practice or weekly or monthly – is a brilliant one!
“I think the most important creative ‘plan’ you can have is blocking out time in your diary (whether that’s half an hour each day or a couple of hours each week/month) to work on your art so it doesn’t keep getting bumped in favour of more concrete tasks, chores and life admin.”
Readers, you can connect with Cassy via the links below, and do your thing to show your support – like and share this post, leave a comment, follow Cassy on her Substack and Instagram, buy her books or borrow from the library – every little thing helps!
Connect with Cassy and her work
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I acknowledge the Darkinjung people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I am writing from today. I walk, talk, write, and create with respect on this land, and I acknowledge the enduring connection the Darkinjung people have with this Country; I thank them for their care of this Country, and I pay respects to the Elders past and present, and extend that respect to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here reading or listening.
This is heartwarming. I am trying to set up a habit of waking early in the morning before my whole family. It was a big challenge as I am not a morning person. Still, it's good to see it works.
I need to check out Cassy's books!
Cassy’s books are always popular choices in our bookshop too! Lovely interview, thank you. 🐸