There are a few supporters of Writing About Writing who have supported us in ways that are hard to fully express. They act not only as patrons of the arts (well, at least THIS artist) but as my muse as well.
This sobriquet is not hyperbole. There are days I want to take off, give up, go do anything but apply ass to chair and write, and I think of them. I think of their unswerving support that has made it possible to keep doing what I do, and I can try to sing their praises, but it will never quite be enough. When my going gets tough, it's them I think of as I'm pulling myself out of the mud and standing up to keep going.
The most common way folks have become patron/muses is through a sizable ongoing donation through Patreon. While I love and deeply value the foundation of folks giving a dollar or five a month, it is a small handful of folks who have opened up opportunities to quit day jobs, then second jobs, then side gigs all to keep writing more and more. A few patron/muses have come forward with huge one-time donations that have made my mouth go dry. However, financial support is not the only thing the patron muses have contributed. Some have showed up to social events with their entire family dressed in Writing About Writing t-shirts, some help my posts proliferate despite the ever tightening Facebook algorithm, by engaging with almost every post in the most algorithmically beneficial way, and at least, in one case, hundreds and even thousands of hours of uncompensated time helping me be a better writer than I am with editing.
Right now there are 15 patron muses (but always room for one more). Julia, Margaret, John , Pol , D, Ginger, Kelly , Alisha, Hélène, Anna, TM Caldwell, S, Alex, another––more different––Alex, and two Anonymouses.
I can't say enough good things. Without these folks, I'd be lost. Thank you so much.
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