Writers Need To Be Nurtured, From Teens To Octogenarians

                                         

It is never too late to be a published author. I have represented first-time authors in their 70s and 80s. Perhaps they were always writers deep down inside, but something stopped them from taking the necessary steps to get published and pursue their passion early on.

It is so important that we encourage and nourish our youngest writers.

My niece in Brooklyn is a budding artist. She is a freshman at an artsy school. She definitely has talent. Witness her oil painting of me, painted after staring at a photograph of me. I am so proud of her and want to see her follow her dreams. Time will tell as to where her talent and the marketplace take her.

Unfortunately, too many budding artists don’t go anywhere.

Many artists....

** lack confidence.
** don’t know how to market their work.
** find the job market for such a talent is limited.
** face a lot of competition.
** are told by others to get a ‘real’ job.
** feel pressured to make money.

Sound familiar? Substitute writer for artist.

Writers and artists have a right to dream and an obligation to work. There needs to be a reconciliation of these two extremes poking at their soul.

Some will say: I need to get a full-time job in my field and maybe I will find opportunities to advance. Others, like struggling actors who wait tables, will take any kind of job, to shut critics up and earb something to live on, but will obsessively try to hone their craft at night and on weekends, subjugating it to a side hustle at best, a hobby at worst.

Talent is a subjective thing. Maybe someone dismisses one’s work as pedestrian while another sees genius. We can’t let anyone’s opinion derail us. We don’t need the burden of living up to gushing praise, nor should we be defeated by some passing words from some idiot.

Creative types know if they have talent. They measure themselves by the metric of their competition, the way people compare their looks to others. Sometimes our ego lies to us; and sometimes our fears or insecurities unfairly shape us.

My advice to writers and artists: Pursue and nurture your talent. Push it to its logical conclusion. Strive to learn, practice, and improve. Take risks and push beyond expectations of others as well as self-imposed limitations. Shine a light on your shadows and you will see your true potential.

Dreams don’t always pay the bills, but they nurture the soul. One’s writings or art can fall victim to criticism, but it can also be inspired by support and praise. The writer is her toughest critic and greatest champion. No one else shall be your judge.

As a society, we should support the creative talent of others. They pour their hearts and minds into their work. They draw and write what is within them and what is elusive of their grasp. They walk a thin line between reality and fantasy. They show us not only what really is the way it is, blinding us with the raw truth, but they embolden us to see what is not so obvious and of how things could or should be.

I want to support my niece in any way that I can. All of us should adopt an artist or writer. Perhaps it starts with giving ourselves a break and to allow ourselves to supersize our own writing career. Once we embrace our talents we can be in a position to help others pursue their craft.

Write today.
Paint today.
Dance today.
Act today.
Sing today.

America has talent!

Learn, Grow, Succeed!!

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Brian Feinblum, the founder of BookMarketingBuzzBlog, can be reached at  brianfeinblum@gmail.com.  You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2021. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.