Tomorrow is the anniversary date for when my wife and I started dating.  It’s been 16 years and I never thought I’d have someone support me as much as she has.

For writers and anyone creative, having support for your art is what we need most. Having a person who–no matter what–puts their faith in your creative abilities has been the deciding factor in pursuit of my writing goals.

When I’m stuck she offers encouragement. When I have editing issues she does a read through to help.

These people who stand by our sides, guiding us, helping us and enlightening us to story problems we’d never see without them.

They’re our shoulder to cry one when we get rejection slips our party buddy when we get an acceptance letter and they’re the first we’ll run a story by if we think it’s good.

They’re our parents, siblings, spouse, partner and children. They’re always there when we need them and they never gripe about you not being published, they’re just happy to see you happy following your dream.

When you look at this person remember, they may be giving up their own dreams to let you follow yours. This is true with me and I know a lot of writers whose spouse or partner have given up their dreams–even if for a little while–so you could chase yours.

Thank them regularly.

You may not know their dreams, or you just have an inkling of what their dreams are, but their dream is on the horizon and when you get the chance you should let them follow that dream.

Not because they let you follow yours, but because they stood by and watched you chase the rabbit down the hole with every book, short story or poem and they waited patiently for you to return from Neverland a new you and a new perspective on who you are.