Last week, I re-launched both my I Am A Writer and Seriously Successful Podcasters Facebook communities. I’d neglected them for a LONG TIME (yikes), and decided to take action and either revamp them or shut them down.
… I’d continue with this story, but, uh, you already know which one I chose.
Anyway, the post I re-launched both groups with was STRUGGLE BUS THURSDAY, and the question, “What are you struggling with this week in your craft… and how can we best help and support you?”
Turns out — perhaps unsurprisingly — that a lot of people are struggling right now… myself included. I’ve been dealing with anxiety and overwhelm and imposter syndrome and all sorts of other stuff lately, and it was a weird mixture of reassurance/sadness to see so many people in the same boat (or on board the same bus, as it were).
As I read and commented on people’s experiences, I found myself repeating a similar refrain — “Is there anyone who can help you with this?” Whether it was a mom trying to parent, work, and write a novel, an eager creator who had taken on 4 new projects, or an individual who was simply feeling unmotivated, I found myself encouraging them to seek help.
Was there anyone who could watch the kids for a while, or help discern which project to tackle next, or walk through this particular spell of un-motivation?
You see, the thing with the struggle bus is it’s a BUS. It holds a LOT of people. It’s not a unicycle or racecar or a kayak — it’s a massive vehicle that holds lots and lots of people, all headed in the same direction.
You’re not alone on the struggle bus. There are lots of other people along for the very same ride, which honestly is something I easily forget. And maybe you do, too.
We don’t have to do ALL OF THE THINGS by ourselves. We are writers in a creative community, not wizards stuck in an isolated tower. (Or maybe you are a wizard. I don’t know your life.) The point is, I want all of us to get better at inviting other people into our creative bubbles and asking for help when we need it.
Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength and dedication to your craft.
Words & warmth,
Sarah
P.S. Is Facebook not really your thing? Then come join my creators’ community over on Discord! It’s for writers, podcasters, artists, cooks, quilters, and creators of all kinds!