Fellowship Among Artists

By Nichole Giles

Recently, a friend reminded me that we don’t all have the much needed personal support we desire in our writing ventures. I think it’s sometimes hard for people who don’t feel the creative pull (to write, paint, draw, act, make music, dance, or a thousand other creative forms of art) to understand what drives us to do what we do.

They might think it’s a waste of time, or that we’re playing games, or pretending to be something we’re not. We know this is not the case, but that doesn’t always help us convince others of what's true for us. Whatever their justification, some choose to not be supportive, and might even attempt to dissuade us from our purpose.

That's why it’s so important that we find support from other avenues, and spend time with other like-minded people. Being part of artistic communities like writing and critique groups is an excellent way to find support we might not otherwise get. Only those who have been there and experienced similar things can truly understand what we do, what we go through, and what drives us. 

And unless you have some kind of hidden super powers that give you a multitude of self confidence, we all need a little extra support now and then.

The following video was posted here a few years ago. While I hate reposting old blogs, I think this video is touching enough, and its message important enough to merit posting again. This is for all my struggling writer friends. (Don’t worry, it’s short, and so worth watching.)