Writers write alone, but that doesn’t mean they are solitary
beings. They thrive in community with other writers and take inspiration from
interaction with all kinds of people and situations. Beginning writers often
keep their writing to themselves, sometimes embarrassed to have anyone know
they are writing. Perhaps this is a gestation period where the writer is
finding his or her own voice. But at some point reaching out is necessary in
order to grow as a writer. Reading work out loud lets them hear their own words
more clearly and feel the response of the group -- the potent silence when
people are deeply moved, the warm laughter and the spontaneous burst of
applause. There is also value in the restless rustling, the uncomfortable
silence and other ways listeners show that a piece of work is not speaking to
them. It’s not a personal criticism but valuable information that more needs to
be done.
Writers write for different reasons, but if they want to be
read, then it takes a village. One of my clients discovered this recently when
she was readying her manuscript to send out for publication. She reached out to
several people with questions within their fields of expertise, attended a
workshop on proposal writing, asked colleagues to read her work and give feedback,
and she shared her feelings of self-doubt with close friends and received much
needed encouragement. She gave herself the benefit of a village.
How do you find your village? First, see if there are existing
writing groups in your community. This might be an ongoing adult education
class in a local college or high school, or a private group offered by a
published writer or qualified teacher. Check out local bookstores too; even if
they don’t host groups they might be able to direct you to one. Try the group
out to see if it's a good fit. If you come away feeling inspired, it’s good. If
you come away feeling hopeless, it’s probably not.
If no class or group exists in your community, you might form
your own group of writers who get together on a regular basis. Put a little
notice in your MeetUp
or Nextdoor
online communities. And when you get rolling on a project, there are writers’
colonies, retreats and conferences galore. These offer stimulation, support,
new ideas and connections.
Published authors also find community in their agents and
editors and other support teams. I know my clients appreciate the community
aspect of working with me. I don’t just send out their works to journals and
magazines; I hold back the rejection letters unless there is valuable editorial
feedback. This keeps them from feeling the disheartening sting that can cause
them to waste time rethinking whether they can write at all. When there is an
acceptance letter, there is no one happier for them than I am! Friends and
family don’t always understand the meaning of these successes. Fellow writers’
understand all too well and their congratulations may be very real, but
sometimes they may be thrust against their will into thinking about their own
struggles with publication. My clients’ success is my success, so we both have
cause for celebration.
If you doubt that it takes a village to become a published
writer, just read the acknowledgements page of whatever book you are reading!
