Step 44: Find Your Tribe

I sent this tweet last night while the folk behind #PitchWars were making their preparations for today's mentee reveals:

In case you're wondering, I am absolutely going to milk my screenname for all its worth.

I wrote it in regards to Pitch Wars, but there's more to it than just a dick pun and hashtag. Because, in my journey to become a storyteller, I've discovered two things:

1. Writing is absolutely a solitary lifestyle, and
2. The loneliness will drive you batshit insane if you don't find a community of people to metaphorically wrap their arms around you.

Essentially, it's of the utmost importance to surround yourself with others who understand the struggle you are going through in order to retain your sanity. A tribe, if you will. And this is a bittersweet notion for me, because I once had a tribe--many tribes, in fact. I rode horses with a group of ten women from the ages of 11 to 21 who I considered my tribe; when we disbanded, I found another tribe among the costumers I met when I was active in the cosplay community throughout my twenties; I was embraced by yet another tribe of artists when my illustration career took root.

As my interest changed and my priorities shifted over the years, so has my sense of belonging. I am still friends with many of these people--equestrians, cosplayers, and artists alike--and many more have continued to support me throughout my endeavors, but the feeling of togetherness that originally brought us together has waned. I hold no ill will towards anyone who has felt the drift, and I hope they feel the same about me.

But I've discovered a new tribe of fellow pre-published authors through #PitchWars, those who have an intimate understanding of the sting of rejection and continue to preserver through overwhelming odds. I miss my old tribes, but I am looking forward to immersing myself in this new one. Each tribe holds a special place in my heart, and nothing short of a well-placed anvil falling on my head can take that away from me.

So as to not keep you in suspense any longer: I'm officially a 2016 Pitch Wars Mentee!