Writers/illustrators: You only fail if you quit. Don't let go of your dreams. Take a break if you need to, but DON'T GIVE UP.

Everyone feels overwhelmed and discouraged sometimes. Or sometimes life gets in the way, with circumstances out of your control.

Take a break if you need to, but don't give up hope. Put your half-finished mss or picture book dummy in the drawer for now and find other ways to keep that part of your creative soul on simmer. Maybe have a small notebook with you all the time, and keep track of story idea snippets? Quick notes about title ideas? Character traits? Settings?

Just don't give up.