Why Creative Community Matters When the World Gets Loud

When the world feels like it’s coming apart at all the seams and everything becomes unbearably loud, I feel myself shrinking, wanting nothing more than to retreat into a quiet place. I just want to detach and disappear. It has nothing to do with giving up or vanishing forever—it’s my instinct to find some stillness where I can breathe deeply, and calm down. In that small, sheltered space, I can gather the scattered pieces of myself and remember who I am beneath the chaos. Sometimes hiding is the only way I can survive. It’s good to be a writer and translator who works from home. But it’s lonely. Stepping out of my comfort zone and moving towards community is the absolute opposite. 

Find out what happened when I went against my instincts, joined the SF South Regional Team as Translator Coordinator, organized and attended our local in-person conference, and what I learned about myself during Golden Gate Fest 2026. This is a plea for courage, connection, and community.

I am an introvert, even though my family insists that I am the resident extrovert. There is a good chance you are more introverted, too. Lots of writers and creatives are. 

When a gathering includes more than three unfamiliar faces, I am usually drained and exhausted when it’s over. Occasionally, I get a migraine on top of that. The idea of organizing a local conference and voluntarily facing 140 people was horrifying. That is way too many strangers! But if you read my Golden Gate Fest 2026 Recap blog post, you know it was quite magical. If you haven’t read it, I recommend doing that first. I felt energized and happy all day and was still buzzing a few days later. 

How is that possible? 

There is a massive difference between a random get-together with acquaintances and attending a local SCBWI event. I met people whose hearts beat for children’s books just like mine. And that is highly contagious. It opened me up to conversations with strangers. Passion connects and enhances creativity in a way that can’t be achieved alone. Being immersed in a sea of kidlit people in such an invigorating atmosphere, listening to inspiring talks, working on my craft during workshops, and going deep was amazing. Sharing imposter syndrome, writer’s block, and other obstacles was refreshing and wonderful. Getting new ideas and learning new techniques charged me with tremendous energy. I know the feeling was mutual. Everyone I talked to responded with such a warm, positive spirit; I was blown away.

It was a weekend of making many new connections, and I was especially excited to meet Wanhsiang. She is a fellow SCBWI translator from my virtual monthly translator meet-ups. I could not wait to meet in real life. Getting together in person, having in-depth conversations and exchanges, and talking shop with like-minded kidlit peeps all day felt special, effortless, and natural. It fed the part of my soul that I usually nourish alone in my office (a desk in the bedroom's corner) while translating, writing, or drawing. Being around my creative SCBWI friends was so uplifting and exciting that I forgot all my troubles for a day. It made it easy to focus on my craft and creativity. 

When our presenters shared their personal and professional struggles, it made it easier for me to accept that writing is a tough business. Most of us don’t do it because of money, but because we love kidlit. We want to make a difference in children’s lives. We want every child to be heard, seen, and accepted. Particularly, the most precious and vulnerable groups in our society. Discussing our ideas, intentions, and motivations with others was both humbling and energizing. Sharing creative journeys unites and connects us, and sparks new inspiration, resulting in more creative momentum.

I definitely had some eye-opening moments while attending NY Times bestselling author-illustrator Marla Frazee's workshop, All the Markings of You. 

She blew us away with her knowledge and insights. First, she handed out all kinds of different-sized and colored scrap paper. Then she told us to keep doodling while listening. And to let go of all expectations, just let the hand do the work while the ears are doing their thing. I haven’t really doodled since I was in college, or when I am on the phone for a long time to pass the boredom. Marla suggested practicing this while watching a very familiar series or movie, too. It tricks your brain, or more specifically, keeps the inner critic occupied by the movie. 

She was showing examples of different picture book art, focusing on style, color palette, and other elements. Some examples were simplified, flatter, and consisted of only 3 colors; others were rich and very intricate. 

I was doodling the entire time she was speaking, and most of the other people were, too. Because my dog Charlie was on my mind, inspired by the story of Little Brown by Marla Frazee, I started drawing him over and over. 

I really like how Charlie looked after 45 minutes of doodling. The curly mustache represents his proud sassiness and character and makes me smile.

After Marla was done with the presentation, she checked in with us and our doodles. Many people were surprised by their results. 

Someone created a wonderful pattern maze, which she confessed wasn’t her typical style. She didn’t think it was very good. Marla interjected and questioned this. Interestingly, many creatives don’t think that anything they completed quickly, easily, or imperfectly is as valuable as really thought-out projects because we think easy can’t be good. But maybe it could! Boom! That’s it; trust yourself to just do your thing. In the spirit of play vs. doing everything perfectly.

Sharing wisdom in this quiet solidarity builds resistance. Standing up in community and naming your purpose out loud is powerful. We all love what we do, and the world, especially our children, needs more hope, stories, and reasons to push ahead. It’s our job to show them a world that is worth living in.

Practicing craft exercises in a community and hearing feedback and honest industry perspectives is insightful. Receiving reality checks that both challenge and support us, along with learning how much stick-to-itiveness we all need to make it in this business, is way easier to face in a creative community. This sense of connection is truly the heartbeat of a day like this. It's unfortunate that we only organize these local conferences every two years. If you're curious about the reasoning behind this, feel free to revisit my recap of the Golden Gate Fest 26. 😉 My main takeaway: Attend more local events of our SCBWI sister regions and other creative events in the SF Bay Area.

Karin Redclift is the Translation Coordinator for SCBWI SF South. She is a

German‑born creative writer, translator, and proofreader, raised in Southern

Germany. Her passion for children's books started in pre-school and deepened

when she began teaching. She specializes in writing and translating kidlit, loves

playing with words (German and English), and dreams of making the world a better

place, one sentence at a time. She is bridging cultures and generations through

storytelling, with publications including the German translation of Emily of

New Moon by L.M. Montgomery and an updated version of the German classic

Maya the Bee. Her flash fiction appears in the Bolts of Fiction anthology.

She also enjoys reading, knitting, drawing, Tai Chi, gardening, hiking, and chasing

her little rescue dog, Charlie. 

Find her at www.KarinRedclift.com (sign up for the monthly newsletter).

Follow @karinredclift on Instagram.

Interview: Picture Book Author Joëlle Retener on a Stonewall Honor, Agents, Disability, and Activism

🌈 Happy Pride! Charlotte Sullivan Wild here, and I’m thrilled to share this interview with picture book author Joëlle Retener. They are about to receive a Stonewall Honor for their picture book Marley's Pride (illus. by DeAnn Wiley) at the American Library Association conference next week.

💜 Last year, one of my happiest surprises was when Joëlle asked to trade work, and we became fast friends. We connected through the Facebook group Disabled Kidlit Writers, hosted by Lillie Owens Lainoff (another star!). In addition to both being LGBTQ+ picture book authors, we have the same chronic illness. ME/CFS blocks a body’s ability to produce energy correctly or recover from exertion (physical, mental, emotional, and sensory). Finding a creative friend who doesn’t mind recording video messages while lying in a dark room is a gift! Now, I'd like to share the gift of Joëlle's interview!

📚 → Learn more about Joëlle’s recent and upcoming books.

 
✏️ My comments are bolded. Joëlle’s are in regular text. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Let’s get started!

STONEWALL HONOR

(c) 2024 DeAnn Wiley, from "Marley's Pride," Barefoot Books, used with permission

Joëlle, CONGRATS on your ALA Stonewall Honor for Marley’s Pride! This is a beautiful story of how a queer Black grandparent supports their queer grandchild, by helping them navigate Pride with sensory sensitivities. The heart of this book is that Pride is about welcoming and supporting everyone.

What was it like to get “the call” about the Stonewall Honor and to have your work honored?

I was in complete disbelief. I broke down in tears and screeches of excitement! It was such an honor to be recognized. You and I have talked about this before, Charlotte… [historically], queer literature that’s recognized tends to be whitewashed and focused on the experiences of white gay men. The fact that my book that centers the journey of two trans-nonbinary Black individuals was recognized is a testament to the evolution of queer children’s literature. This win sends a message to people who share those intersecting identities that you’re seen and we value you. Your voices and your stories are worthy of being shared, are worthy of being uplifted. It was a powerful experience to know that something that I created is providing representation for my community in a way that has not been done, or at least not consistently.

It gives me hope that stories like mine, that children like me, that families like mine, can see themselves represented in books. Not only books about trans and nonbinary lives, but books that go beyond the normal tropes of coming out, [that] are centered in queer joy, and rooted in community, I think that’s a really big deal. Especially at a time when there is so much struggle within our community. To be reminded that the radical joy that comes with living authentically and being in community with others lives on is a gift. For my book to be shared broadly as a symbol of all that our community is, is humbling. I’m very grateful and hopeful that it will uplift folks who need the daily reminder that we are not alone. Joy is inherently part of our human experience no matter how we identify.

AGENTS!

Both of us have had the hard experience of leaving our first agents. It sounds like you have landed in the right place with James McGowan at Bookends Literary Agency! (For those querying agents, James is focused on building his adult list right now.) What is that relationship like? I know that on my recent search I needed to figure out my own priorities…

I’m so grateful to be working with him! I feel like I have this superstar in my corner! James is really responsive. He has a great eye for how to strengthen my manuscripts in order to make them sellable. He is patient with all of my many, many questions. He is kind and funny and so snarky, and that’s what I love most about him! I can bring my full authentic self to the table when I’m working with him. While I recognize, yes, it’s a professional relationship, I can let my very short hair down when I’m with James. I feel so comfortable.

Most importantly, I genuinely believe that James loves my manuscripts. As someone who has historically been insecure about their writing, having an agent like James by my side has helped me to really fully perceive my work for what it is. It’s been such a magical experience. I couldn’t imagine working with anybody else.

The search for the right agent can be so tricky. It’s encouraging to know that this is possible with time and patience!

WRITING WHILE DISABLED

The new logo for the Disabled Kidlit Writers group on Facebook, where Joëlle and I met.

How does disability influence the way you write and what you write?

I have a dynamic chronic illness [meaning, the severity fluctuates], so I live my life in seasons, from flare to flare. As a result, my writing is also seasonal. [Flares] impact me both physically and mentally since my disability affects my cognitive function. The typical advice is to write, write, write, as much as you can! You must be a prolific writer! The reality is that I can’t be. I can only write based on how my chronic illness is behaving.

I relate! When I became ill, the focus shifted from “how much” I work to “how to” work around physical and cognitive limits. Whether one is disabled or caregiving or working long hours, working harder isn’t always an option.

Often times, I’m not writing, but I’m reading, listening to audio books, which are incredible when you don’t have the physical capacity to read. During these periods of “dormancy” I focus on documenting the ideas that bubble up. My creativity is usually dying to come through and this is an easy way to feed it even if I’m not able to fully create stories in those moments. (Yes!)

My disability has also allowed me to explore different ways to write. When sitting up is difficult, I’ll write from [bed]. (Ditto!) Sometimes, physical typing or looking at my computer screen isn’t accessible to me. I use talk-to-text apps instead and leave myself voice memos to think through ideas or concepts. I save them like sticky [notes] to circle back when I have the space to do so.

Does disability affect what you write?

My disability has made me even more determined and passionate about writing inclusive stories. It’s so important for children, but also [for] the parents who are reading, to see themselves in books. I want to remind readers that they belong. Black people belong. Black trans - Black Queer people belong, and disabled people belong, especially in spaces that have been historically inaccessible to those communities, such as nature/the outdoors. We exist in this world, right? To assume that disabled people aren’t all around us is just unrealistic. Which is why I make a concerted effort to work with my editors and illustrators to have disabled people represented. [I try] to ensure that that representation is present in whatever I touch.

FINDING CREATIVE COMMUNITY WHILE DISABLED

For me, isolation has been the hardest part of becoming chronically ill – worse than the illness itself, which is why your friendship has been such a joy, Joëlle! (I wrote about this for SCBWI in 2023: “Cures for Loneliness: Writing and Illustrating Disability.”)

How is creative community different when you live with disabilities? What do you wish people knew?

Thank you for this question! I don’t often get opportunities to talk about my disability and how it impacts me as a creative. Shedding a light on it could help other spoonie creatives like me to feel a little bit less alone. 

(SIDEBAR: Christine Miserandino coined spoon theory as a way to measure energy with metaphorical “spoons.” People with disabilities may have significantly fewer or a fluctuating number of daily “spoons” compared to non-disabled people. “Spoonies” are people who have to pace their energy very differently than non-disabled people. Now, back to Joëlle!)

I really struggle with connecting with the kidlit community. There are so many platforms where we can engage. While I’m really grateful for those digital spaces, keeping up feels impossible. Being on apps like Bluesky and Discord feels like stepping into a really loud room and you have a sensory sensitivity. Like, there’s constant noise coming at [me], and I am incapable of sift[ing] through it.

Sometimes, when I’m having good body days and my mind isn’t as foggy, I try to jump on. I want to be around my people. I want to share the ups and downs that are part and parcel of the publishing business. But it’s difficult. And my enthusiasm doesn’t last long. It can be really isolating not to be able to connect with other creatives in those spaces. It’s often a choice between [that] and showing up in the real world for myself or my family. That means I don’t get [many] opportunities to connect with other creatives.

That’s so hard.

One of the few gifts of the pandemic was that more events are now online, which means that homebound or disabled people can at least watch events when in-person or live attendance is impossible. This also reduces travel costs, another barrier. I appreciate when webinars are archived for a month, so I can watch them in parts if I can’t concentrate for 1-2 hours or if it’s a bad health season. But for those able to attend some events, there are still barriers, right?

In person get-togethers are so difficult. They usually require travel, which looks like me schlepping my entire family to these events. Then there’s naturally lots and lots of socializing which takes weeks for me to recover from on the back end. I don’t think most people understand how taxing it can be for people [with] chronic condition[s] to simply leave their homes let alone all the planning and prepping that comes with attending larger social gatherings. It is a struggle and it can be very lonely.

I’m really grateful for the writing friends who I connect with one-on-one, via Marco Polo (a free video messaging app) or voice memos on texts.

Ultimately, it is very much about trying to find accommodations and exploring different avenues for connection.

It’s my hope that this blog post will help able kidlit creatives to better understand the spoonie struggle. Then perhaps we could find ways to reduce the emotional and mental labor that’s typically shouldered by their chronically ill counterparts when seeking out community.

Thank you for sharing your experiences, friend.

WHAT ARE YOU READING?

Last, what is something you’ve read that is lighting you up?

Micro Activism: How You Can Make a Difference in the World (Without a Bullhorn)
Small Actions = Big Results
By Omkari L. Williams
Forward by Layla F. Saad

Gosh, this book really stuck with me! It's about how to make activism accessible to everyone. Williams talks about the perception [of] activist[s] and what [they] look like. More often than not, activism is perceived as being at the front lines with a bullhorn, on stage. The reality is that activism is more all-encompassing, and [we] need to see it from a holistic perspective. Activism is accessible to everyone, which to me is an incredible realization given my health issues.

Yes! Recently, a disabled author friend was processing with me how much she wanted to march at protests, but she is unable to do so physically. She did feel proud that her son marched. Raising him is part of her radical work. So are her stories and donations. We can show up in our own ways.

[In] the forward, Saad [says] that for the longest time, she did not consider herself an activist because she did not fit the quintessential image of an activist. But as Williams notes, activism is a verb. It’s a verb that describes actions that you take in order to move forward the greater good of humanity.

I’ve had to really rethink how I show up in this world, specifically [with] my social justice work. This book has allowed me to own it, and to embrace it. It has allowed me to recognize how my storytelling is one hundred percent activism! Yes, I have said it! I’ve said it!

I agree!

My disability has forced me to let go of a lot of things. [But this] book allowed me to see that maybe it’s not a releasing of the social justice part of my life, [which] is so fundamental to who I am. Perhaps it’s a reframing of how I approach my activism, and an opportunity to find new ways to lean into it.

I love that! Thank you for sharing your heart and experiences, Joëlle!

If you’re headed to ALA, look for Joëlle and their beautiful book Marley’s Pride! Check out what's next from Joëlle!

Wishing you all joy and community for your journey!

💜

In case you missed them, here are my previous posts for June:

“Pointless Joy! Returning to the Heart in our Art”

“My Process, My Nightmare!”

💜

Joëlle Retener is the author of Marley’s Pride a Stonewall Honor book, which received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, and Booklist, and OUR WORLD: USA. Their forthcoming books include MADINA’S BIG, FABULOUS, WIN and its sequel (Disney Hyperion ’26), and BELLY GROWLS (Henry Holt 27′). As a Black Kreyol, disabled, nonbinary creative, Joëlle believes that art is a vehicle to rewrite and reimagine outdated narratives about historically marginalized communities. Joëlle is a proud graduate of Spelman College and American University. They are represented by James McGowan at Bookends Literary Agency. Learn more: www.joelleretener.com

Charlotte Sullivan Wild is the author of several picture books. Love, Violet (illus. Charlene Chua) is a Stonewall Book Award winner, Charlotte Huck Honor Book, and Lambda Literary Award Finalist. The Amazing Idea of You (illus. Mary Lundquist) is a lyrical celebration of the potential in living things, especially in every child. She has taught language arts, literature and writing, worked as a bookseller, and volunteered as the SCBWI RA for Southwest Texas. She is represented by Analía Cabello at Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Learn more: www.CharlotteSWild.com