I could write this Toast! daily.  I have such amazing friends! I’m so blessed.

Living a creative life for me means that I need them and I need their feedback. Not just on what’s on my page, what’s difficult about that end of Act II, or why my character is doing something I don’t quite understand…I need feedback on life because that influences what happens creativity in my life.

If I am creating a community or the loss of one, I think of my Lit Chicks back home, my Book Club, Writer’s Group, Project Involve Alums, USC SCA friends, college friends, high school friends and all the new friends on Facebook…communities that I hold dear. And I use.  These are the people I go to for story, for clarification, support and applause. 

If I have a character that is dealing with loss, with some pain or heartache, I’ve got my own history to look to, but I have friends who have shared their journeys and from them I see rising to challenges, resilency and healing. I see how they manuever difficulities and overcome obstacles.  Their strength and dedication to life are attributes I straight up steal and layer my characters with. 

If I am stuck…and yes, I get stuck. I actually call it ‘story brewing’ cuz that feels more action-oriented than ‘stuck’…but when this is where I find myself, I go to a friend for a break- you can find me a Larchmont Bungalow or walking the reservoir or riding cycle hard at the Y, with a friend.  We may not even discuss the story but they’re open love gives me respite from the brewing and I can come back to the page strong.

I am blessed to have friendships with my collaborators, too.  I feel love and support as we all work through our roles in development for the films. 

And one of the greatest gifts my husband gives me is his time, support and ‘feedback’ for story which deepens creative growth and makes me love him even more.

Alot of people say writing is lonely work and it can be. Definitely. When it comes down to moments like this…me, my thoughts and this computer, it can be lonely. When I seek deep inside myself to mine a story, hell yes, it can be a lonely job. But life…the creative life…it’s fed by Friends with Feedback.  

And I am round-bellied, deep-breathin’, sighing, gigglin’, slap-happy full! 

Here’s a Toast! to Friends with Feedback.  Go tell yours how much you appreciate them.

PEACE