Being a Creative Villager
21 Ways to Make Creative Connections
Hello, Protagonists,
Welcome back to Letters from the Creative Life. These occasional pieces explore the quieter corners of living: small reflections on art, ambition, and the tender balancing act of building a meaningful life in a noisy world. Think of them as letters from our lives to yours. Enjoy!
xo, Joanna & Evelyn
Being a Creative Villager
21 Ways to Make Creative Connections
“Everyone wants a village, but no one wants to be a villager.”
When I read this, I stopped scrolling. This quote tugged hard on my integrity. So often, I gripe about the loss of connection in our modern world - eyes on screens, bodies on couches, and hearts so lonely. This quote made me want to stop griping and start showing up.
I love how relationship expert, Esther Perel, talks about the importance of a village. She emphasizes that humans thrive on connection and, in a time of intense individualism, a village offers necessary collective sense-making, security, and an opportunity to be seen and held.
Like many creatives, I love to hole up and create, create, create. My inner world is such an exciting place to be that I can forget my outer world needs tending, too. On top of that, showing up takes courage. It often feels risky to reach out, make plans, or say yes to something new.
But villages aren’t something we opt into when we need them and then curl up with Netflix when we don’t. Villages require commitment and investment. With an overemphasis on ease and self-care, we forget that risking some effort and inconvenience might be necessary to create the community we need.
Now, I’m not advocating that anyone override their inner knowing or overextend themselves. That is often the reason I’m on the couch in the first place. I’m proposing the opposite: that we check in with our inner knowing about our needs around community instead of falling into a pattern of isolation or dissociation. Consider what we want most in our lives, and make active choices to support it.
If, like me, you find yourself wanting a creative village, ask yourself: how am I willing to be a villager? How can I lean towards a connection that resonates with my creative force, say yes to an invitation that makes me feel scared but alive, or offer my time and energy to the village that I want to nurture?
Here are some ways I’ve experimented with being a creative villager:
Host a Reading or Showing - There are so few opportunities to share your work as a creative, especially ones with low stakes and warm audiences. Consider creating a space for yourself and others to revel in the beauty you’ve made and imagine the relationships you might cultivate along the way.
Find a Creative Co-working Space - For a more gentle idea, what if we hole up together, but occasionally take breaks to say hi and check in with each other. Some SF Bay Area examples are: Left Margin Lit, the Hivery, and Page Street. If you don’t have one of these in your area, consider co-working at a cafe with some creatives you know. Maybe plan a write-in or sketching hours.
Invite your Friends on Creative Dates - I think we underestimate the creative connections we already have around us, but how can we engage them? What about inviting a friend on a creative adventure? It is such a gift when someone plans something special. You could paint watercolor at a park, go on a color hunting photography walk, or forage for some fruit and make a big pot of jam.
Organize a Critique Group - I met my very first writing friends through a Meetup critique group. One committed author organized the group, and several intrepid writers with new work showed up and shared. It was a wonderful way to test out my words, build fortitude for critique, and find writers with whom I wanted to foster a deeper connection. Crit clubs can be tricky, so consider what matches your needs, and if your first attempt doesn’t feel right, keep looking for one that works.
Be a Beta Reader - Once you start meeting some villagers, the request for or offering to beta-read is a great way to deepen creative friendships. I often start with a few chapters and make sure to ask for what I need or can be helpful with at the start. This generous gift requires trust, care, skill, and effort—precious things most people hunger for in their village.
Take a Creative Class - Taking a class not only supports your development, but also supports the creative running the class. Teaching is a common way for artists supplement their income. In addition, I often find myself learning beside several potential villagers, so take a chance and exchange emails with your classmates. I’ve enjoyed many classes at the Writing Salon and working with my hands at Mighty Mighty studio. (I’m currently putting together an Inner Critic class for our community, stay tuned!! I hope it will be a great opportunity for collective sense-making and a chance to feel seen and held.)
Commit Random Acts of Creativity - I feel deeply alive while adding magic to the world in small, whimsical, full-hearted ways. I love seeing mini-murals on the sidewalk, little free libraries in my neighborhood, reflective prompts on the side of a building, and street performers of all kinds. There is nothing that makes the big world feel like a village and taps me into the magic of life more than a random act of creativity.
Body Doubling - Maybe this is a fancy way to say creating together side-by-side, but I wanted to call out this as an important tool to support yourself or others who might be struggling to start something or keep going. While the term came from the ADHD community, body-doubling can help all people break through creative resistance. Some people might call it an accountability partner. Either way, this is more than joining a co-working space; this is an explicit agreement to share presence and focus in order to create.
Show up to Book Events, Art Shows, and Performances - Creators work for years to get to their first show or event. Your mere attendance at this moment is of deep service. And you can feed two birds with one scone by supporting an indie bookstore, gallery, or theater, too. Maybe even make it a creative date!
Book Clubs Buddies - You can often find book clubs through your indie bookshop, library, or by word of mouth. Reading together might be a great way to shift an already established friend gathering into a more reflective or creative interaction. Maybe suggest a buddy read to start. And, hint, hint, nudge, nudge, online book clubs offer intimate connected experiences too. I adore seeing so many kind faces from this community every month.
Collaborate on a Creative Project - This is a step up from the creative date, but if you’re hungry for more, propose a creative collaboration. Write a zine full of flash fiction, make a collaborative mural, or build a community poetry garden. While writing this, I started to wonder what we could make together in our Creative, Inspired, ALIVE community…hmmm…a story or essay collection anyone?
Attend Conferences, Residencies, or Retreats - Conferences offer so much in one place - you can learn craft, meet peers, pitch agents, and see deeper into the world of publishing. Retreats and residencies offer similar elements, but in a more intimate, intensive environment. Here is a comprehensive list of conferences and residencies. I’ve got my eye on this one and highly recommend the Northern California Writing Retreat as well.
Show up in the Comments - Writers and artists are putting themselves out there in big and little ways. Share your gratitude with them, ask them questions, and contribute your voice to the discussions. As creators, it can feel like we release our ideas into the void, and just one comment can make us feel seen. Your appreciation matters.
Creative Conversations - Ask the people around you what they like to make. We are all creators, and bringing our awareness to our creative efforts can make for a fun conversation and maybe help others see the value in these contributions. Then, don’t just ask, but share your creative life, too. If you write fantasy novels after work, consider talking about them at the water cooler. If you write romance during your kid’s naptime, consider sharing that with another parent at a playdate. It’s a gift to make our creative passions known to the wider world. It gives us self-validation and invites others to do the same.
Activist Art - Linking our creativity with our democracy is a powerful way to care. By gathering and making art to let our voices be heard about issues that matter to us, we invest in our immediate villages and beyond. Is there a cause you feel called to contribute to? Your creativity could make a difference.
Leave Reviews - When you love something, tell people about it. Give five stars on Goodreads, repost work, sing their praises! And do it in real life too. Think someone’s style is amazing - tell them. Love how someone is contributing - thank them. Give your compliments to the creator wherever you are.
Build the Hype - Do you have a friend getting ready to launch their creative project? Ask them how you can help. Pre-orders, social media posts, reviews, or get crazy and throw them a launch party! This is an incredibly special moment to lean into the village and celebrate what matters.
Hire a Creative- I know AI can do it all now, but AI won’t build real connections. Consider hiring a real, live illustrator, editor, producer, actor, or writer when you need one. And recommend these creatives to other people, too. I just did this with my query. I knew it needed something special, and rather than turn to Claude for an assessment, I asked a friend for a recommendation, and I am now connected to another brilliant writer across the country to help my work shine. If hiring help is outside your budget, consider a skills trade.
Ask for Help - This one sounds strange, but asking for help builds meaningful connections. I’ve felt all the reasons to hesitate here: not wanting to be a burden, fearing rejection, or protecting my pride, but the ability to ask for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Risking vulnerability is often the first step in deepening a relationship. It is hard to be held by a village if we don’t ask for what we need. If you want to body-double, need a critique, or wish to collaborate, who could you ask for help?
Volunteer at Community Events and Festivals - Going to festivals is great, but volunteering at them can be even better. Volunteering helps organizations you value make it all happen, and helps you get to know the village that runs them. Litquake or the Bay Area Book Festival are some examples near me. What might be near you?
Buy Art - If you can afford it, buy art you love. Buy a debut novel, a painting, or even a greeting card made by real humans you want to support. Where you put your money matters to your village.
And lastly, the most obvious one, Participate HERE! Come to our book club or contribute to our community chat. Share your creative happenings with us so we can cheer. Ask your creative questions and let our community answer.
Share your ideas in the comments.
🌎 What are your favorite ways to be a creative villager?
🔎 Where did you find your creative people?
🌈 Which idea might you feel inspired to try?
Great post, really made me stop and not just skim but to actively read it and consider the options to see which will be the one or three for me. Thank you.
I love this so much. It is exactly what we need right now. There are so many voices out there (necessarily!) sharing the problems, but so few who offer concrete ways to engage in diverse and meaningful ways. Thank you!