I agree, Jeff. It’s a put-off to be too eager, and I’ve been in that same situation as a business owner. The way is to focus on serving others through our art and making those deeper connections where we get to really know others! I was inspired recently by Amanda Palmer’s book, The Art of Asking, and when I sent my next newsletter I reached out in an intense and deep (and vulnerable!) way to my readers. I said to put myself out there more, I wanted to hear about what they were doing and how we could work together. I wanted to hear about their feelings on what I was creating and I wanted their suggestions. I think the biggest thing was that I said I wanted to meet with them in person if they were in town and show them my garden (I’m a garden writer), and share a drink or a cup of coffee and get to know them. Immediately, I received several responses that were amazing. Not a lot, but at that intense level that really matters! And I spent the next two weeks interacting with them. These new friends shared their art, their essays, their poetry, their lives. I was able to meet with two personally. One visited my home and I visited hers. I was thrilled to publish their work and share it with many other readers. It was, overall, an incredibly meaningful and valuable experience, and, I feel it signals the beginning of something richer (and I’m not talking about money, I’m talking about meaning). Don’t be afraid — connect in a real way!