6 Comments
User's avatar
Nina Graue's avatar

Courtney, the more I read your work, in whatever capacity, the more I admire your frankness, your transparency, and your truth. I want you to keep writing, even if it is for only you! From one creative to another, I send virtual hugs, kind words, and a couch conversation about writing as therapy.

Expand full comment
courtney summers's avatar

Nina, thank you for such a generous and supportive comment. I am granting myself as much grace as possible, and I think I will see the other side of it, but in the mean time it means a lot to know that posts like these have been so generously and thoughtfully received. Thank you for sharing in it esp as a fellow creative :)

Expand full comment
Emily Slaney's avatar

I find it really sad that an artist can't just create, that people feel such ownership over art they feel the authority to tell an artist what they should be creating, or how their story/art/appearance should be. The fact that an artist has to declare or announce or warn of a change is crazy when you think of it. Of course what you're doing is going to evolve, art is fluid. It reflects and warps.

Please know you are supported. I'm excited to read whatever you produce, and I hope you keep writing and creating for as long as it makes you happy ❤

Expand full comment
courtney summers's avatar

Thank you, a lot. I really appreciate that more than you know and I'm truly grateful, Emily.

I think publishing complicates the matter a little too--it can be very hard for them to find ways to ease transitions and grow with creators, and sometimes what a work is doing and how it's being framed ends up sort of oppositional. I love this: "Art is fluid. It reflects and warps."

Expand full comment
Stephanie Burgis's avatar

This burns with truth. Thank you.

Expand full comment
courtney summers's avatar

Thank you for reading it, I really appreciate that, Stephanie.

Expand full comment