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Reader, one of the things I love most about being a writer is the community. Writers actually want to help each other! I know, it’s amazing.
We have a transport company and I can tell you there isn’t much genuine help and community in the industry. You have to guard your work and contacts as if they were gold nuggets. It’s common for people who you may have helped out to undercut you and steal your work. Everybody is suspicious and a lot are dishonest.
In the writerly world things couldn’t be any more different. In the writing community we join groups. Writer’s groups, Critique groups, support groups and any other kind of encouraging group you can think of! I thinks it’s grand.
Since joining the online writing community of facebook I’ve become friends both online and in some instances the relationships have flowed over into face to face meetings.
I don’t know why, but for some reason rather than clawing our way over the fallen bodies of our fellow writers, we help each other up and encourage each other to keep going. It’s an incredible community full of people who want to help and encourage you, not just use you as a step on the ladder and leave you behind.
I’ve been plodding (ok, tearing my hair out) along with the edit of Something in the Water, and at the same time trying to write a synopsis. Now reader, I’m not going to try to tell you how hard it is it break down a 65,000 word novel to a dry 1 – 2 page description. You try to do it with your favourite movie! Suffice to say it’s difficult. Especially for a first timer like me. But, I am honoured and privileged to have a huge amount of help from two different online writing groups. People from both have spent a huge amount of time helping me with the synopsis and I can’t thank them enough.
As much as I’d like to name them I don’t know if they’d appreciate it. So I’ll just say thank you and know, that you know who you are.
So reader, are you a writer who has found the writing community the same? Have you found similar support in other groups? Have you had a totally different experience?
I’ve been in the writing world a very long time (30 years), and let me tell you, the two writing groups we share are special. It is not always like that; many times writers will shred other writers through jealousy, inadequacy, or feeling, as you say, left behind. And yes, we do have to guard our work from just anyone. You have chosen your readers carefully and so gotten good advice.
It’s not easy to edit a full novel and then to bring that novel down to the backbone thread. The advice you get on editing both can seem blunt, even harsh, at times. It takes time and practice to look at the critique in the spirit it’s meant. Even after all these years, I can’t always do that first time out. I’m still too close to my characters and the story. But eventually I battle through all those feelings that my story sucked for the reader, and maybe they have a point, and then I can see the flaws they said were there.
Not all of them. There are times I hold the line and say, “No, I put that there on purpose.” I will occasionally write a flaw in on purpose because it furthers my character’s development. But if it’s a real stumbling block for everyone, I’ll change it.
Writing is hard work. I’m so glad you (and I) have become part of some great groups where people care and support each other. It makes us all stronger for it.
And really, it’s easier to be nice than hurtful…
Thanks for your comments and your encouragement. I’ve been blessed with all good contacts and groups and I hope it stays this way. I guess that maybe the people who’ve helped me, yourself included have enough confidence in their own writing and journey that they don’t need to put anyone else down.
May you continue to be blessed with all good contacts and groups. The people we know, even those who struggle, are good people. I know we all deal with the emotions, and some of us are more transparent than others. We do spend time propping our weaker, less confident members up, but in the end it makes us all stronger. When we believe for someone else, we believe for ourselves — because if they can do it, so can we. So it gives us a measure of new strength for ourselves.
And we will all make it. We HAVE made it, in a lot of ways. We are writing (the first step to success), editing, reading and critiquing, learning, submitting, and selling our work. Success wherever we’re at. Yes, we are shedding fur at great rates, because no one says this process is easy or without tightrope-walking terror, but in the end, we will make it (and our fur will grow back).
Keep on working. You are awesome and I’m thrilled for your good news.
thanks 🙂 and right back at ya!
Writers are awesome!
I reckon! Thanks for popping in Kelly 🙂