It turns out there were a lot of questions, based on last week’s newsletter! (Also, I am so sorry about the typos in there! And me a writer. D’oh! To make it worse, I probably have a few in here. Please be patient, as I am the world’s worst proofer despite good intentions!)
It seemed that people want to “play to win” as writers, but there was confusion as to how to go about that on a more granular level. Specifically, where do you start? There seems to be so many moving parts, and so much conflicting information, and only so many hours in the day.
How do you figure out what to do, when, and then how do you actually do those things?
I’m going to be addressing the different elements in a series of newsletters, from now through the end of the year.
But before anything, the element I feel is the most crucial is the writer’s support network.
Why do you need a writer’s support network?
Because what you’re going to do — being a writer — is very, very hard. It can also be rewarding, and sometimes even fun. But it’s not easy. At least, not if you’re trying to become a successful published author, it isn’t.
There are going to be days when you’re banging your head against a wall, trying to figure out why you’re stalled out on a story, maybe bound up by writer’s block.
Or days when you’re wrestling with imposter syndrome.
Or days when you’re not quite sure how something should work, but you can’t puzzle out how to fix it.
Sometimes, you’ll be heartbroken by the state of the publishing industry. Sometimes, you’ll be overwhelmed or baffled by the process. And sometimes, you’ll simply want someome to cheer with or someone to cry with.
For your emotional well-being, and for the well-being of your career, you need a support network.
While you will hopefully have other supportive elements — family, a significant other perhaps, friends — it is important to build a support network of at least one or two writers.
Why?
Because frankly, no one else will understand what you’re going through, and well-meaning or not, you will want someone who gets it.
Shouldn’t writing or promotion come first?
In a word: no.
Because building a writer’s support network can take time. Similar to dating, it takes a while to find people who mesh well with you. There’s usually trial and error, and you’ll need patience and a positive attitude.
You’re going to need to find other authors, then see how well you can talk to each other (online or in real life) about whatever you’re writing.
If you’re looking for critique partners, you need to see how comfortable you are with each other, and judge how valuable the feedback is.
Some other writers may not like or understand the genre you write in. Some may be on a different level of experience, and their feedback may be too harsh for what you’re ready for, or conversely, too soft to provide value for what you need.
There are also energy vampires out there, who just want you to read what they have, but suddenly are too busy when you need a read. They want you to promote their work, but never post about yours.
If you’ve been slugging it out on your own for years (and I know a lot of writers who have, because generally speaking, most authors are introverts) then the idea of finding people to interact with can be daunting, and the above doesn’t help. But ideally, you start searching and testing and buiding this network early. If you didn’t, the second best time is now, in conjunction with your other building blocks.
Do they have to be critique partners?
Not necessarily. They just need to be people who you feel comfortable giving and receiving practical and emotional support when it comes to your writing journey.
Critique partners can absolutely fit that bill. (Beta readers, if they are pure readers and not other writers, can sort of fall in here, but really, they’re going to be more skilled help/fandom. We’ll talk about that more in a future newsletter.)
They can not only be helpful in getting new perspectives on your work and helping you improve your craft (both by providing insightf on your work, and allowing you to provide feedback on theirs, which is some of the best training possible) but the process of swapping for critiques is one of the best ways to get used to someone else seeing — and, honestly, judging — your work. If you want to be published, this is an important skill. You’ll find yourself getting “tougher” when it comes to accepting outside opinions, and that’s valuable. (That doesn’t mean you bend yourself to everything they’re suggesting. It just means that you’re able to accept and apply with proper judgment.)
A writing group that meets on a regular basis can also fit this. Maybe you swap work sometimes, maybe you just talk about the industry. Maybe you just write in the same space at the same time (this is good for people who find body doubling handy , an ADHD tool that helps if you have trouble staying focused unless there’s someone else there.)
You’ll find that local chapter meetings for genre-specific work tend to help in this regard. You can connect with people who share your interests, interact, learn, and usually feel energized (even if your introvert nature means you’re also a bit drained!) It’s a good place to get information, as well.
Finally, I would suggest a simple “support group.” I have a group of writer friends that I have been meeting with every month or so, online because we’re far flung at this point. We’ve been meeting for nearly fifteen years, I’d say. Not all of us write anymore, but we are all writers — we get the process, we know the problems. We’re each other’s best cheerleaders and hype people.
If you can only get one kind of support to start, get this.
“Network” is not the same as “networking” in the professional sense.
This is about building a safety net.
These are people that are going to help you on your writer’s journey. This is not about glad-handing, passing out business cards, or using people to move ahead in your career.
That’s not to say you can’t cross-promote with other authors in your network. You absolutely can. In some cases, that makes it more fun, and you will be more enthusiastic when it’s someone you know, whose work you enjoy.
You can also connect with other authors in a professional setting, like conferences or, again, chapter meetings. Those writer friends I mentioned? I met them all at a conference where I was a closing speaker, then re-connected with them when I moved to their state, and was lucky enough to befriend them.
But if you’re thinking “I need to build my network to get ahead” and have a Game of Thrones political asset mentality about it, that’s a disaster waiting to happen. Nobody wants to be used, or seen as a resource. Further, the people who are okay with it are looking to use you. Often, when you cease being of use, you’re dropped.
Some places to find supportive authors.
If you haven’t been able to find a support network on your own, you may turn to professionals. Again, I’ve mentioned professional groups, usually split by genre for commercial fiction. (Sci fi writers, horror writers, Western writers, etc.) There are also conferences where you might connect with people.
You can also join classes, especially ones that encourage interaction in, say, a Facebook group or Discord server. In person courses, online workshops, and the like can be very beneficial.
You can get a coach in the meantime, if you’re looking for guidance and support quickly and have the money to spend. Some coaches offer “group sessions” at a discount, where they essentially build a support group for you.
Finally… this article is very dated, and it’s aimed at critique partners, but it’s a jumping off point to figure out where you might find other writers.
https://thewritelife.com/find-a-critique-partner/
Stay tuned. More info to come.
Once you start taking steps towards building your support network, I want to help you walk through how to get clear on what you need to be doing, when you need to be doing it, and how to prioritize what’s most important and focus on that.
If you have any questions in the meantime, please email me, and I’ll get them addressed.
Happy writing!