To achieve anything,

you must sacrifice something.

Be that time and energy,

living in a comfort zone,

chasing worldly desires,

or anything else.

But we must retain the things

that truly matter along the way,

relationships, faith, morals,

and so on.

When embarking on lengthy projects,

sacrifice is non-negotiable.

For example,

if you set out to write a full length novel

in the course of a year,

you must be organised enough to hit targets

without fail, and regularly.

When I went about this task myself,

I had to lock in with a schedule that took up most of my evenings,

and didn't give me much rest mentally,

so the tradeoff was psychological serenity and time for progress.

This was necessary for me to hit those targets.

One must protect boundaries at the same time.

If you let your work consume you then you lose yourself in it,

and you start to ignore or devalue the world around you.

Getting lost in an artwork may be one of the most engrossing

experiences as an artist,

but staying there is deterimental to everyone.

Many get stuck in the process of building a future

in the name of family, relationships, or freedom,

via the chase of capital, wealth, and status,

and neglect the very thing they strive for,

simply by not being there.

So, what are you really sacrificing,

and for whom?

It is true, Reader,

that success comes with sacrifice,

but be wary of the tradeoff before you commit,

and of transgressing the non-negotiables

that which enrich your soul and provide happiness,

else you'll constantly search for that fulfilment

in soulless mediums like external validation,

instead of in that which really matters,

and by the time you reach your dream destination,

all of that which you fought to keep has drifted away.

Creative Update

This past week I helped and performed at an Urdu/English poetry reading/open mic at Ward End Library in Birmingham.

It is a longstanding, monthly poetry group but this month was the first time they had openly advertised and sought to expand their reach.

The event was a success with a record turnout for the group,

and I was able to do a set and network with some attendees.

The library is situated in East Birmingham which is heavily deprived of literary engagement,

as per my findings with the Birmingham Poetry Network and its interactive Poetry Map of the city,

so it was a welcome change to see just how lively the event was,

and also the potential of what this poetry space could be.

Upcoming Opportunties

AUE is seeking a UK based Social Media Co-ordinator with a strong interest in and commitment to the arts sector and trade union movement. The successful candidate will have excellent design and copy writing skills and experience using social media strategically to strengthen grassroots organising.

DEADLINE: 20TH SEPTEMBER

The Brooklyn Review is a literary magazine founded by Allen Ginsberg and John Ashbery. Award-winning stories have appeared in our pages (honors have included the PEN / Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize) and our published poetry has been anthologized in the Best American Poetry.

The magazine has a long history of publishing emerging writers; we can’t wait to read your work!

Accepting fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and art.

DEADLINE: 1ST OCT and 2ND OCT

Catch Me Next

I have a one-man poetry show coming up in Birmingham,

but details of tickets are not yet available,

keep your calendars clear for October 18th for now...

Speak soon,

Bilal Psyche Akram