Bizzy launches a new website + writes a comic book
And struggles to finish things, think visually + play well with others
Dear ones,
Welcome to another edition of Bizzy In Your Box, the self-promotional email newsletter that you, yourself, signed up for.
Old subscribers, it’s a thrill to welcome you to my first newsletter delivered to you via Substack. You will notice a few aesthetic changes, but the self-promotional drivel is the same self-promotional drivel you’ve come to know and tolerate.
Unfortunately, when I signed up for Substack, I thought we were all going to get stacks and stacks of delicious submarine sandwiches. That did not happen. On a positive note, though, the full Bizzy In Your Box archive is now available.
New subscribers—and there are a lot of you this month—welcome to the fold!
Here’s a quick recap: Bizzy is a 39 year old white lady. She lives in upstate New York in a strange rural enclave known to some as the Upper Delaware River Valley or the Sullivan County Catskills or simply “That place New Yorkers go to escape the city, when they can’t afford the Hudson Valley.” She is a paid freelance copywriter and a (mostly) unpaid creative writer.
I send out this email on a vaguely monthly basis. You’ll see a smattering of freelancing and copywriting tips, creative musings, pieces from the Bizzy Archives, and of course a hefty dose of talking about myself (my specialty).
And now, onward!
Along with the newsletter updates—there’s another facelift in town.
(And no, I haven’t gotten any work done. Yet!)
I’m speaking, of course, about Bizzy Coy Dot Com, the world’s foremost website for all things Bizzy Coy.
After an extensive update, you can now read the full text of 30+ pieces of Bizzy Writing, including short humorous works that have been published in The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, Vulture (RIP Splitsider), The Belladonna, Points in Case and The Establishment.
I’ve also made public—for the first time ever!—a comedy series pilot, full-length film screenplay and a short stage play.
You can also access my free writers’ guides, including Bizzy’s Super Secret Guide to Freelance Copywriting and Bizzy’s Terrifying Guide for Writers Applying for Grants and Residencies.
I’ve struggled for years trying to figure out how to display my writing on the internet, because the internet is such a visual place, and writing is such a non-visual medium. I think the new website does a halfway decent job. I’m always curious: How do you like to show YOUR writing?
I’ll be adding new stuff all the time, so check back for more Bizzy Goodness.
I’m so delighted to be reading once again with Yarnslingers, the long-running “true story” series founded by Ramona Jan.
On Sunday, January 28, I’ll debut a new piece inspired by the theme of “Thin Ice,” alongside a slate of talented local writers.
See you at Seminary Hill Cidery in Callicoon, NY for what is always a fun (and free!) good time.
A sneak peek into the Bizzy Archives…
As you may know, my brother Evan and I are occasional creative collaborators. (See my aforementioned comedy series pilot, which we wrote together in 2014.)
Last year, we co-created our first comic book: The Bumpkin Buddies! It follows the adventures of a band of friends named Lucky, Iggy, Brick and Lemon Bee. It started out as a project for our little nephew, but it turned into a real learning experience for me. (I’ll give you a few random panels below… don’t try to make sense of it!)
This was one of those projects that was enjoyable precisely because it was so random and I didn’t have a lot riding on it. We did it just for fun, not aiming for publication or even perfection. “Good enough” was plenty. Our audience was limited to one six-year-old kid, and ourselves.
It was challenging for me to work in a visual medium. My brain is not wired that way. And I’m not well versed in comics like Evan is, so I heavily relied on his expertise when it came to panels, pages, breaking up dialogue, and story flow. Neither of us have ever written for a child-audience before, so that was strange, too. It took a second to humble myself and get into a beginner’s mindset. But once I stopped trying to be a know-it-all, the process got easier.
Doing this collab definitely pushed me outside my comfort zone. And the result was pretty good, I thought, for a first-time attempt. Thanks to Evan for his adorable illustrations. That ham looks mighty juicy.
I’d like to bring more of this energy into my creative practice. Reminding myself:
Be a beginner
Collaborate more
Finish things
Silly art is still art
Well, that’s it for this edition of Bizzy In Your Box. I’ll be back next month with more creative folly and frippery.
Until then, I hope you’re safe and well. Give a shout and let me know how you’re doing!
xoxo
Bizzy
Nice to see you here, Bizzy! I am having the most fun with Substack. The newsletter is a perfect form for this writer. If you haven't yet, you should look for Becky Blades, who writes on starting as many creative projects as you can.