In a post on the Stage 32 blog, Kay Ross offers advice on finding your creative squad. “One’s creative ‘squad’ is so important, but it also takes time and effort,” she says. It’s not easy to find like-minded creatives who engage with the kind of work you want to produce and have a good work ethic, but Ross offers a few tips that can give you a boost.
- Regulate Yourself and Your Squad Will Encourage You. When you set and achieve goals – and talk about them – others will respond. “Your ‘squad’ isn’t meant to babysit you or take away your burden but your squad will always believe in you and cheer you on!” Ross says.
- Do the Work and Your Squad Will Meet You Halfway. Once Ross finished a first draft of a project, she had plenty of offers for beta readers and feedback.
- Show Up and Own Your Contribution. If you join a writer’s group or accountability group, pitch in. Even if you aren’t the organizer, welcome new faces and offer help as needed. Both the vets and newbies will appreciate it, and they’ll come to you with advice and seeking it.
- Keep Meeting New Creatives. “I have several groups that I work with, and it feels like we’ve always known each other,” Ross says. “When we look back at how we met, however, it’s clear that we did not all meet at the same time. Each of us met in our own time, but only because we kept meeting new people.”
