one of the weird things about working in picture books is that they're short but they take a while, so when one comes out it can sometimes represent a weird mood you were in for like 20 minutes 2 years ago

i would add that this is actually what you WANT, or what i want, anyway. It's nice when it feels like it might have been conceived of at the same speed as it reads, even if it wasn't or it took a lot of wrestling.

i saw a talk on imposter syndrome a little while ago talking about how there's different types of it & one type is feeling like if it doesn't happen fast or naturally it's no good. PBs will screw you up that way cause sometimes they really do fall out in 20 minutes. They can.

but if it doesn't it feels worth hanging onto whatever you remember of the weird 20 minute mood so it at least feels like it. that David Lynch line about "asking the idea" - that's just a mood you're in, i think

anyway, sorry, that veered off into Advice but i'm just looking out the window