Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Writing Community


Being a part of writing communities is one of the perks of writing. Most of the time you hear, "Writing is a solitary job." Yes, when you are writing you want that solitude and quiet or music, however best you work. But a writer needs the sounding board of another writer when the writing is tough. A person who understands the corner you wrote yourself into, the black moment that isn't black enough, the lack of emotion in a scene. Having someone who understands these is crucial, in my estimation, when you are writing.

Yes, you need the solitude to get the words on paper, but you need the experience and critical eye of another writer to make your work sparkle. And you need a safe, comfortable atmosphere in which to voice your concerns and give support to others.

I belong to RWA National, a local RWA chapter, an online RWA chapter, a local writers group, and I'm on the author's loop for The Wild Rose Press. All the positive energy I pick up either from the groups in person or through loops and chats is invaluable.

If you are a person who writes but haven't connected with a writing group- run to the nearest one. The camaraderie, congratulations, and commissary is worth joining, not to mention the nice people you will soon call friends.

[the picture was taken at a beach retreat with my members of the MWV RWA chapter]

3 comments:

Nicole McCaffrey said...

I agree, that support and encouragement is invaluable!

Paty Jager said...

Thanks for stopping by, Nic!

Nicole McCaffrey said...

I always stop by! I just don't always have time to tell you I was here *G*