In her 1990 book The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron warns creatives about crazymakers, the people who have no respect for your work and dominate your time with endless drama.

But crazymakers aren’t the only people who can hurt your chances of having  a successful creative career.  There are a lot of toxic people out there who can work against you as you try to get your ideas onto the page and create and publish your stories. They can make you feel guilty for taking time to write, and show no empathy when you’re hurt by rejections and nasty reviews, although they always expect empathy from you.

They can also discombobulate your life and rob you of your health. You may fear the loneliness of losing these “friends.” But remember you have your characters and creativity to keep you company as you heal and make room for new, better friends.

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