A blessing to be a writer and artist

Writing and art-ing (gosh there is so many activities under this umbrella term of “art”) are largely solitary activities. Even if you have a circle of other writers and artists you share your work with, you see theirs, discuss what can be done differently, go to conferences if you have the money and time, and all that — when you write or draw or paint, you do it alone. (I can already think of exceptions where you do it with others, but for the purpose of this blog I am quieting down the other voices for now).

I have often heard the loneliness of such solitary nature of being a creative. I feel it too. I have felt it for a long time. I wonder if I didn’t write or draw as much as I thought about it all these years because I was afraid of the loneliness.

Today I watched an interview of Ms. Tessa Hadley, a British author, done by Louisiana Channel on Youtube. It was marvelous to hear an old woman talk about her childhood with such energy. She sounded so child-like. She didn’t sound longing or sad at what she used to do as a child. She simply told the stories of how exciting it was all for her with her friends and the love for writing and reading and etc.

The childhood story caught my attention. It’s often the subject of romanticization. People reminisce about the wild soul without a worry for consequences and the innocence made possible by blissful ignorance of the tragedies happening outside of the home yard.

In the interview, Ms. Hadley shared that she and her friends used to write stories and play them. I suppose it means act it out and act out the characters. It reminded me of how there are adult aspiring actors out there trying to grab a spot on the actor roster for Broadway shows and movies.

Somewhere along the interview, a new notion came to me from nowhere.

Maybe writing and drawing is actually a way to create my own imaginary friends.

I don’t mean that I’m going to literally make imaginary friends the way I expect a 5 year old would. What I mean is something more organic and metaphorical.

What I write and draw would coexist with my own life in parallel. For example, let’s say I’m currently trying to find a new job after having been laid off and the character of a story I am writing about is a working mom (let’s call her Ada) who is overwhelmed with the crumbling balance between work demand and parenting. As I am trying to find new jobs, that Ada is by my side. Next year I can recall today using Ada as a benchmark. “In August of 2024, I was applying to X number of jobs a week in the face of financial hardship while Ada was stressed out with how she was failing at work and raising her kid.” “In August of 2024, Ada and I struggled in different ways.” “In August of 2024, there was Ada in my life.” And so on.

Producing works of creativity can be a new way to look at the lone act of being creative. You are not alone, and you don’t have to be. These stories and characters coexist with you in your timeline in real time.

I find real charm in thinking about writing and art-ing in this way. It makes the stories and characters more alive. More interactive. It makes my own life feel fuller. More gratifying.

What a beautiful life writers and artists can live.