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The value of a writing group

10/10/2012

Writer Friends Group Photo
Pam Cook, Terri Green, Angella Whitton, Yvonne Louis and Pauline Reynolds after our writing retreat in Milton earlier this year.

I came on to write a post yesterday, before I raced off to my writing group -The Writers’ Dozen – yesterday. However, while researching everyone’s books etc I came across this lovely post by Jan Cornall at The Writers Journey that shows so much of what the members of my group have accomplished over the years

How to get published – get yourself some writing friends!

Not every member of the original thirteen shows up these days but each of us along the way has gained a great deal from the group…some people just turn up for Christmas lunch these days because, let’s face it we’re not just writing buddies, we are friends.

Perhaps we were unlikely friends to start with but I think much of the strength of our group lies in our differences. We have authors or memoir, poetry and short stories. We have authors of young adult, literary fiction, women’s fiction and chick lit.

For me personally there have been so many wonderful benefits to being in the group. Of course people to bore silly with your writing life, people to listen to you moan in the face of rejection or pop the champagne in those moments of success are all important. So are people who read your work and respond with love and respect even when they tell you it’s rubbish. They’re the people who take the time to share the journey with you and who really get what you’re going through. Oh yes, and they’re also people who make me laugh until my sides hurt and you can’t put a value on that!

We all say regularly we wouldn’t still be writing, submitting, studying without each other and we say it because it’s true.

There is a lot of talk about how lonely being a writer is and how isolating and yes, I suppose that’s true, but if you can find a group to connect with through your local/State writer’s centre or through an organisation like Sisters in Crime or RWA then it need not be that way.

You can combine my two favourite things writing and life-long friendships.

Comments

Pamela Cook
10/10/2012 02:10:03 pm

So true Monique. Where would we be without each other – probably not writing! Every writer needs readers, feedback, support and validation and there’s no better place to get it than a strong writing group. Friendship is the icing on a very scrum my cake!
Reply
Monique
10/10/2012 02:46:15 pm

It absolutely is Pam!

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