Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shari Wiltshire. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Shari, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

I’ve been creative all my life. Literally, I’ve been a fictional writer since childhood. But pragmatically, I am creative in finding solutions to solve problems; I like the trial and error process; I like to investigate and test what works and what doesn’t. I have embraced this approach to my work life, so when I say that my creative career began exactly at the right time in my life – I mean it. For a very short moment in my life I was good at math and computer programming and then one day I wasn’t, and I had to fall back on English and writing to graduate from college and not waste any more money. My first step toward a career was as a reporter for a local newspaper, but at that time, I had no idea I was learning about humanity and society and collecting human stories for my eventual creative career as a filmmaker. My next step toward a career was as   facilitator and teacher, but again, at that time I had no idea this skill would be effective as a film director. My next step toward a career was earning a Master’s degree in social work, but again, in the time I was working as as a case manager (and then a therapist). I had no idea that research, honesty, accountability and transparency – skills that I honed as a reporter years earlier – would benefit me now in my creative career as a film producer. To be honest, I have made films, but I don’t have a career as a filmmaker…not yet. I am manifesting that dream for myself because filmmaking is exactly the creative career that is best for me, and I finally know that. The creative work that I do now for money is around storytelling, and it has been so beneficial to my education as a filmmaker. I’ve been telling stories, listening to stories, and advocating for people’s stories to be heard for my entire life. In the last five years, I have perfected my storytelling skills to the point where I teach others how to create narratives that help them heal from trauma and share their experiences with an audience. Now is the time for me to pursue a career in filmmaking – a good film requires an excellent story. In short, my creative career is underway at the exact right time in my life.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I facilitate storytelling courses where learners can share narratives that are relevant and meaningful to themselves, their business partners, their family and friends and/or their clients or customers. My courses are developed to help others practice vulnerability. Being vulnerable will help creative-minded people access deeper emotions to tell genuine stories that have a lasting impression on their audiences. My courses are designed to meet learners where they are at and to challenge them to take the next step in their journey of living with more clarity. I would say that I am a very confident person and this is in-part because of my ability to understand the emotional growth (or decline) that outlines my life’s journey. Translating that vulnerable information into a story that has heart and drives people to take action is what I’m good at! I am most proud when learners want to take a deeper dive into their own histories, traumas, failures and deficiencies to tell stories for the purpose of healing from adverse experiences. When I get to work with learners who have experienced trauma, I feel like my professional mind as a social worker and my creative mind as a writer and filmmaker are uniting with a harmony that soothes my soul.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Fostering creativity in others is one way society can support creative-minded people. Hire the person who thinks outside the box; hire the person with less official experience and engage people in communication around ideas and problem-solving. Figure out how to work with people who think differently than you do. Creatives with little money consider doing work for anther creative for the simple love of being creative! I could use help with my social media! For those in society with more money and assets, mentor a creative person who is fighting tooth and nail for their creative dream, or, just cut ’em a check and hope for the best! Creative people typically give the world something fun, nuanced, innovative, entertaining and often dazzling to look at or experience – society can support us by embracing us at every stage of our creative development.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Hands down, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is working with others to create! That’s why I love filmmaking – it cannot be done without the collaboration of people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/lit_entertainment757
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shari-e-wiltshire-msw-33256b40/