How to find support as a writer
A guest blog by Shape Arts
Support is a word that’s often used in conversations about writing wellbeing, but it can be hard to pin down what it really means in practice. For many writers—particularly those who are disabled or working on low incomes—support is not a luxury but a necessity, shaped by financial pressure, access barriers, and the realities of sustaining a creative life alongside other demands. In this guest blog from our long-term partners Shape Arts, they outline different forms support can take and share insights from decades of working with creatives across disciplines.
What does support look like?
The word ‘support’ crops up a lot in our work. Few of the creatives we work with have full-time practices; they may give their all to their art but rarely does it give back in equal measure. The pressures of finances alone mean working in an attritional state, something disabled creatives experience in multiple ways, often being invisibly disabled by the structures and people around them. Support is often vital, if not indispensable, if they are to continue.
While our main annual offer to low-income disabled writers provides partnership support through the excellent Free Reads scheme, we provide support in the form of mentoring, advice and guidance on a flexible basis, and within our own tranche of projects, disabled writers feature amid a visual arts-led programme of residency, commissioning and exhibiting opportunities, along with those engaged in telling the story of the disability arts and rights movements through our archival and heritage wing. Having limited capacity to support creatives on an individual basis we may refer creatives to partners or provide signposting to funders or those who may be able to provide more tailored support.
Support across disciplines
Much of our advice applies across disciplines. In general, we find that putting a plan into place with a practical objective is most helpful. It means that the relationship between the general and the detailed can be better understood. Priorities become clearer, identifying resource provision, including access provision, likewise. Some find that treating their practice as a business makes all the difference, balancing out peaks and troughs of activity over a period of time, or cycles, rather than dwelling too much in the moment. We look for ways to create structure that might be replicated in other circumstances, so that when in doubt, or as things change, there is something of a template to fall back on.
Our considerations for accessibility are often strategic, with a focus on managing expectations and processes so that disadvantage has a better chance of moving to advantage. Knowing what good looks like – having choices and independence – can work on an individual level but also a creative level. Sometimes we find win-wins in our discussions around engaging audiences more strongly, or deepening an experience.
Support from Shape Arts
As a proud member of ACE’s national portfolio of creative organisations, Shape Arts is close to reaching its fifth decade supporting creatives who face barriers to sustain their careers. Our small team benefits from partnerships with a range of brilliant institutions and agencies such as TLC who link creatives into their programmes and industries whilst we enjoin our own expertise to ensure pathways are accessible for participants, and support creative talent to flourish.
If you are a disabled creative with an active practice, you are welcome to contact Shape Arts directly via or browse their guidance pages at shapearts.org.uk/resources.
