Freelancing Hiatus

Back in December, I mentioned that my freelancing services were no longer needed at IGS/Stronghold Games, so I decided to take a break for a little while and reflect on my freelancing, talk with my family, and take a fresh look at the game industry. Throughout the holidays and January, I have been very busy with changes in my responsibilities at Taylor University, continuing my back surgery recovery, and caregiving for my wife who has had additional challenges with her Multiple Sclerosis. So, this break from freelancing came at a very good time.

After significant discussion with my wife and talking to a few mentors in the game industry, I am going to extend this break into a longer hiatus to really do some reflection and to pursue some other creative projects that I have had on the back burner for a while. I like this quote from Mel Gibson.

I think any kind of hiatus one takes in an artistic journey is going to make a huge difference. The pause will inform the choices that you make.

Mel Gibson

I don’t want to rush back into game industry freelancing just to find work again. I have the benefit that my freelancing is a hobby job for me, not required for my family’s finances. It will make things tighter for my daughter’s college expenses, and we will have much less entertainment money, but we can adjust the budget for now while I spend some focused time delving into what it is about my creative side I want to explore. What do I want to be doing in the game industry, or elsewhere, as a creative and artistic expression?

What this means for this blog is you will not be seeing as many updates regarding freelance projects or preparing for and working at Gen Con like in the past. You will be reading more about my teaching, side projects, and personal things for a while. Depending where some of my creative musings and pursuits go during this hiatus, you might start getting hints of where my freelancing may go in the future.

Have you ever taken a deliberate extended hiatus from your creative pursuits to determine if they are what is best for you?