Author
buddies, unite! Maybe that’s a bit melodramatic, but I can tell you now it’s
great to not be doing the writing journey alone. Writing is often referred to as
a solitary occupation, but over and again I’m reminded as a writer of
the value of being in a writing community. After some of the conversations with budding writers over this past weekend at Oz Comic-Con, I wonder if this is something
we can sometimes take for granted. (For more about the Oz Comic-Con experience, drop on over to my blog.)
For those
who are a little (or long!) way down the writing/publication road, can you
remember being a newbie writer? That feeling of uncertainty, that sense of not knowing
if you’d ever be published or if you were even good enough to be published.
Ever. Add to that the steep learning curve of honing the craft. It can be a
daunting mountain to climb. Once you’re published, there’s that rapid realisation (if
you didn’t know beforehand) that the hardest work’s about to begin, with continuing
the promotion and marketing you’ve been doing in the lead up to the release of
your literary baby.
Let’s face
it. Writing can be a tough gig, and unless you’re super famous, it’s not
exactly the highest paying occupation … Now imagine
doing that journey alone.
I love my
writing group. You and I both know how much they feature in my blogs, and for
good reason. They’re not only loyal and encouraging friends, but they’ve
single-handedly (okay, multi-handedly) organised book launches, catered for
workshops, offered financial counsel for events and got their hands dirty on
many occasions to make writer gatherings a success. They’re also happy to act
as critique partners and general champions of my writing, even when that book
baby feels waaaay overdue. Yay for them! 😊
But the
writing community reaches farther than that. Consider beta readers and editors,
and let’s not kid ourselves. (Take it from someone who was a closet writer for
over a decade.) If we’re not getting feedback on our work, firstly with critique
partners, then with beta readers, our writing will never be challenged and it will
never develop. Add to that the stroke (or 2000) of an editor’s pen, and you’re
well on your way to improving your work. I don’t know any story that isn’t made
better by a good edit by someone who isn’t being paid to stroke a writer’s ego.
True, it can be painful, but it’s totally worth it in the long run.
What about publishers,
or author services if you’re an Indie writer? Wow, that’s also a tough gig. How
grateful I am to be guided by someone who knows about and takes care of ISBNs,
distributors, bookstores etc. (Perhaps we should have ‘hug your publisher day’?)
Hat off to those who do it themselves … although, if you’re in a community, you
can also bounce ideas, problem solve etc. All the better when there's someone who can warn you about the pitfalls of vanity presses and such.
Where would
we be without books stores and readers? There’s nothing quite like meeting new
people in a bookstore or writing event generous enough to host you, and having
the privilege of introducing potential readers to a story you’ve written. Even
better is when those readers contact you or write a review to say how much they
loved your work. (Oh, don’t forget reviewers!)
Long and
short of it? Thank you for being part of my writing journey, and that of many
other writers too. Whether we’re the equivalent of writing adolescents, grandparents, toddlers
or newborns, we can each be a significant step in making someone else’s publication
dream a reality. Pretty cool, right? Let’s never underestimate our part as
writing community members. Now go forth and write!
