People belong to creative communities for a wide range of reasons
Sometimes designers or illustrators will want to get critical feedback pieces in their portfolios. Or, a writer asks are these headlines resonating with you? Some creatives who sell side-hustle products are looking for insight into industry trends. Some people like to talk about creative block. And, some just want to make connections and get feedback on their work or learn about what is going on with others in their creative world. Others enjoy the social aspect and want to commiserate about deadlines, creative blocks, and bad clients as well as share successes. Still, others want to share helpful information with each other like networking opportunities or potential job collaborations.
The Benefits of Joining
When you’re a part of a creative community, you get access to so many things that help your career. For one thing, being around people who understand what it’s like to work in the creative field is a huge benefit. If you’ve ever tried to explain to someone else what it’s like working at an agency or freelancing by yourself, you know how frustrating it can be.
But besides having friends and peers who understand what you’re going through on the job, there are other benefits from forming relationships with other creatives: support and accountability; resources and connections; new skills and inspiration; fun!
Here are the ways a creative community can help you
- Get feedback
- Networking
- Collaborations
- Accountability
- You get feedback on your work
- You can talk about the things you’re working on with other people–it helps keep you accountable!
- You’ll hear new perspectives and ideas that might inspire you or change how you think about your work.
- You’ll feel less alone when it comes to making something new
What type of people are in creative communities?
Whether you are a writer or a designer, an illustrator or a social media marketer, a photographer or a web developer — you still need people to bounce ideas off of, understand your business, and offer you support.
“The Creatives Roundtable is more than an accountability group — it is a resource that allows for open and honest discussions around business challenges and ideas for growth. Being a part of this group has changed the way I think about my business and has given me the tools and support to expand and thrive.”
— Wendy Wood
What Kinds of Community Should You Seek Out?
Having a creative community right in our daily lives gives us a unique combination of colleagues who become friends, and each one of them is a potential source of inspiration.
- Masterminds
- Small-Group Coaching
- Industry-Specific Groups
- Online or In-person
- Focus on Craft vs Focus on Business
The answer to whether or not it can work for you lies in how you would choose to interact with the community. A willingness to try new things will help you find your feet in the world of an online community. Whether you design, write, develop websites, or create marketing plans — there’s no better place to start than your own business to lend a supportive hand/ear.
“Having Nancy (and the group) in my corner has really helped me to keep my head on straight. She has been there in her own experiences and is the “tough love” I need at times, and the cheerleader I need at others. She genuinely wants to see everyone grow and succeed, and it shows. Her + the group is a collective of knowledge and without the mastermind group, I am not sure my agency would have seen the growth it has“
— Nick Matarese
It’s never too late to join like-minded professionals
Having other creative business owners or freelancers in our daily lives gives us a unique combination of colleagues who become friends, and each one of them is a potential collaborator. It’s never too late to start! Look into joining the Creatives Roundtable Small Accountability Group Coaching or Slack Community.