Why writers and artists benefit from being together

The first question you might ask is…Do they, though?

It’s a good question. Does it actually make sense to pack artists and writers into a relatively small space and make them create together, like we plan to do during our workshop weekend?

Fair, fair question.

We know that writers and artists don’t always enjoy each other’s company. Many times, they feel quite the opposite. Though there are many reasons we won’t delve into now, we know that these are usually the type of people who need their personal space and solitude. Especially when they’re working. And they are ALWAYS working, even if it looks to outsiders like they are procrastinating, mindlessly hanging around, meandering through their days.

There is a “loophole” in the previous statement, and here it is: sometimes creative work and solitude become overwhelming. Creative work, in its essence, may become so devastatingly irritating that one who is immersed in this work doesn't clearly see their novel draft, or can't decide if their visual art series is complete, or the plot is sagging… There are so many reasons for frustration when one devotes oneself to art.

No one can put themselves into writers' or artists' shoes except for other writers and artists.

No one can be friendlier than a colleague who works in a different genre. No one can be more sentimental and generous than a writer who's just published a book, or an artist who just had a show.

No one is more insistent than creative people. They talk a lot, they spend long hours around beers, and they are often eager to support others' ideas.

In the end, a community of like-minded people is one of very few things in life that matters.

So, do writers and artists benefit from being together then?

[Yes, they do.]