5 Reasons Writers Need Each Other

One of my friends, Linnette Mullin, references a quote in her book Finding Beth that describes writers as “blue monkeys living in a brown monkey world.”  I don’t know about you, but that describes me.

We writers are unique creatures.  Many of us are introverts who prefer to be locked in a room with a computer or pen and paper for hours without interruption—we thrive on alone time.  In contrast to social butterflies, we draw our energy, not from socializing but from internalizing and thinking.  We have a lot to say, but not necessarily through our mouths.

 

But that doesn’t mean we should live as if on an island.

The first time I connected with other writers, joy rippled through me.  These people are just like me, I thought.

 

Now we get together regularly, but not for games or football.  We connect to share our writing and learn.  I’ll be the first to admit, we can be nerds.  Normal people don’t get excited over words, but we do.  Pass the coffee anyone?

Finding others who share my passion and understand my struggles and goals has relieved me of feeling isolated and continuously grows my gift .   Based on my experience, here are 5 reasons you need to find more writing buddies today.

Connections .  The more you know, the more places you’ll go.  Networking with other writers will open unexpected doors.  I found my first critique group through friends at a writing conference.  The more connections you have, the more opportunities you will find.

Growth.  My writer friends push me to be better and go farther.  We constantly learn from each other and grow as a result of constructive feedback.

Support.  I would venture to say that all writers struggle at times.  I haven’t met a writer yet (published or unpublished) who hasn’t admitted to struggling.  Many of us question ourselves and our abilities regularly.  When rejection comes knocking, we want to quit.  Surely we need each other for encouragement to push through those dark, daunting times.

Platform.  As writers, we help each other out when it comes to building a platform, or a fan base.  We read each others’ works, and we tell our friends in order to get the word out there.  We like and share each others’ posts and promote each other regularly.

Accountability.  If I know I’m meeting with my writing friends consistently, then I have to make sure I write something by certain dates.   Having a regular schedule keeps me on track with my goals.

    

Look around and take an inventory.  How many of your friends share your passion to write?  Do any of them help you revise and edit your writing?  Do they challenge you to write more and write better? 

I’m not advocating trading in your friends for new ones.  We all have friends that enhance different parts of our lives.  But if you don’t have many writing friends, it’s time to seek out some.  The best place to start is through critique groups (click here for suggestions on one of my previous posts), social media, and school. 

Trust me.  You need more writing friends.  Seeking out friends who share my passion to write was the best step I ever took as a writer.

How do you connect with other writers?  Start the conversation below!

So You Want to Get Published? Part 1

Five Things to Remember

Are you one of those writers dreaming of getting published one day?  
I am.

But I’ve found it’s not that easy.

There’s so much more to publishing than many realize.  It’s just not as simple as submitting your work somewhere.

This is not to discourage you, but to prepare you, so you will see yourself published one day. 

Here are five things to remember when considering publication.

Get connected to a writing group.

It’s first for a reason. 

As writers, we need each other.  If you are serious about publishing, the very first thing you need to do is find a group of like-minded writers.  A good critique group that meets regularly will grow you up as a writer.  Constant feedback on your writing will improve it more than just self-editing.  If you can’t find a group, try forming one.  For example, high school students could form a writing club at school by finding a teacher sponsor. 

Here are two links to several known critique groups.

Word Weavers International—Word Weavers also offers online critique groups.

South Carolina Writer’s Workshop

Decide what you want to start publishing.

Are you writing a novel?  Do you write short stories, Manga, or poetry?

Spoiler alert: Book publishing can be one of the most intensive and lengthy routes to publication. 

For new writers, I would recommend finding smaller venues to publish shorter works. Many well-known authors got their start by publishing small.   Doing this will help you get used to the business of publishing as well as give you experience as a writer. 

Also remember that not all publishing opportunities pay.  However, the experience is well-worth the time rather than the money.  And don’t discount that high school or college literary magazine.  That’s a great writing credit you can add to your resume. 

Meanwhile, work on that bestseller.

Here are a few links to some possible places for publication, but know there are many more.

The Citron Review

Splickety Magazine

            Read publications which publish your genre and style of writing.  

This is extremely important.   If you write poetry, find magazines or publications that publish poetry.   And read them. 

Don’t try to submit your work without actually taking time to read previously published works in the publication.  You might find that there are certain themes or tones in the published pieces.  If you align your work with those threads, you will be more likely to get published.  If you don’t bother to read the publication, you might get rejected simply on the fact that your work doesn’t quite fit their style or needs.   

   

Read the submission guidelines.

Duh. 

It seems obvious, but if you want to get your work out there, you have to follow the rules.

Make sure you read everything carefully and ensure that you use the proper formatting, length, genre, etc… 

Most publishers have certain requirements and will not bother to even look at your work if it’s not formatted properly.

Revise.  Edit.  Repeat.  

Writing is about 75% revision in my opinion and experience. 

First drafts are easy.  What’s more difficult is writing those words in the exact, right way.  Revision is the most critical part of the writing process.  While it’s the part that matures you as a writer, it can also be the most frustrating. 

Just remember this: No one ever published their first draft of anything.

Run the spelling and grammar check.  Let someone proofread and edit your work (see step 1 above).  Revise and rewrite.  And then do it all over again.  

I tell my students that writing is never absolutely finished.  Final drafts are figments of your imagination.  You can always improve it even after publication. 

The more you revise, the better writer you will become. 

It’s your turn. 

So which area do you need to work on in order to get published?  Tell me below.   If you have been published, feel free to chime in with more tips!