Encouragement as an artist – fiction or non-fiction?

“You ARE an Artist”

“I can’t lay claim to being an artist,” the woman said with a soft, but clearly challenging tone in her voice, and for a moment I felt defensive about stating so unequivocally, “I am an artist.”

The woman wasn’t a program director for an art school or even an art gallery. I was interviewing as a counselor in a psychiatric facility and she was the gatekeeper to employment.  When she had given me the tour of the offices and various meeting rooms,  I noticed several, large, original paintings with very distinctive styles and had remarked how beautiful they were and how necessary I felt they were to the recovery environment.

If I had concluded my appraisal of the artwork rather than adding, “I’m an artist”, her response would never have been uttered and I would not be writing about this.

I am considering a book of encouragement for artists, mostly artists who create paintings, or sketches or drawings, but it can be for anyone who “feels” they are an artist.  Artistic creation is such a wide spectrum of production that it’s not limited to let’s say flat (two dimensional) surfaces.

The proposal, which is necessary if you want to submit your ideas to any agent, is partly finished and yet I am wondering how beneficial another book on creativity might be to anyone other than me, the writer?

Will I be putting forth something that is non-fiction, meaning, for many people “real” or will it be a fiction that is only mildly entertaining?

Thoughts?