We are the women who run with wolves--or Poodles.
The common thought is that writers are lone wolves, and sometimes we are, but mostly wolves live in packs and support each other.
I read about a mother wolf whose cubs were pulling, tugging and climbing on her until she was completely frazzled. Uncle Wolf, like the cavalry, came bounding over the hill, rough-tumbled the cubs, played with them until they were worn out and finally asleep. In the meantime the mother wolf stretched out on a warm rock and slept.
We can be there for each other, not to wrestle the cubs, but to get a reprieve from them. We can be a sounding board, a support system. The Wolf Pack? Or The Sacred Wolf Pack? That sounds good to me. What do you think?
There is no charge to do this, it is simply artist to artist.
My reason?
Recently I re-purchased The Artist’s Way by
Julia Cameron. I read it years ago, left it in California, but felt I needed it
again. And now I am motivated to begin a Sacred circle.
Cameron calls
such a circle as “A Cluster.” One such
cluster in Chicago began with these questions:
“Will I be able
to write again?” “I would like to improve, but I’m scared.” “Really I’d like to
produce.” “I’d like to write a play.”
Years later
these were the questions: “Who’s
throwing Ginny’s Emmy nomination party?” “Should Pam do her third play with the same
theater company?”
I am suggesting
an online circle, a support group, a writer’s coffee klatch with you serving
your own coffee. Sorry, that’s the way it is in virtual reality. We could talk with each other, though, on this website.
Success is born
in clusters, and success is born in generosity. Let us believe in our own power.
Sacred Circle
Rules:
1.
Creativity
flourishes in a place of safety and acceptance.
2.
Creativity
grows among friends, withers among enemies.
3.
All
creative ideas are children who deserve our protection.
4.
All
creative success requires creative failure.
5.
Fulfilling
our creativity is a sacred trust.
6.
Violating
someone’s creativity violates a sacred trust
7.
Creative
feedback must build on strength, never focus on weakness.
8.
Success
occurs in clusters and is born in generosity.
9.
The
good of another never blocks our own.
I suggest, as Cameron suggests, beginning each day, or at least each writing session, with "Morning Pages." Morning pages are a mind dump. It is a way of writing out our cares, ridding our mind of garbage—you know
that endless mind-talk that is standing in the way of our true creative
expression. In morning pages you write whatever comes to mind, complaining if you want, whining, just get rid of it. Now we can then get down to the business of being creative. And this isn't only for writers.
After the mind-dump, questions might then pop up, questions such as, "I'm stuck on chapter 6, what do I do now?" "Would you read my query and see if it piques your interest?" "You got an agent how did you do it?" "Would you read my first paragraph and tell me what you think?" "What do people want to read now?" "Do you write for yourself or for an audience?" Natalie Goldberg said, "Writing will take you where you want to go." What do you think of that? In that case, writing is self-discovery.
Maybe your comment would be, "I wrote 25 pages today! Yippee."
And your rooting section would say, "Whoa, that’s fabulous."
And, you know, here's a secret, When you win your Emmy, I will be there.
When you get an Oscar for that original screenplay, I will watch you walk the red carpet.
When your book is published I will lift a glass of champagne to you.
Please scroll to the bottom and leave the Wolf Pack a comment, or to the top to talk to Momma. Your email address doesn't have to be shared if you wish to remain anonymous. Please, though, give yourself a handle.
I will post any comments so you can respond to them. That way we will get to know each other. Packs like to snuggle.
I'm anxious to see you romp over the hill.
