Never Write Alone

How do you find other like-minded writers to form a writer’s group, or become beta readers? What are the advantages or disadvantages of sharing your work prior to publication.

 For me finding my writing group, the Literary Llamas, was my real entry into the writing world. Before them, I was just floundering around with a bunch of unformed ideas gathering in my head with no real place to go. Of course, I was writing before I met my writer’s group, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say, not as well. But that’s the beauty of a group we learn together.

 How did we do it though, us four brand new writers? How did we find each other? I’ll tell you it felt like magic. And I wonder if it feels that way for other writers too. That moment when you’re no longer writing alone in a vacuum without anyone around you understanding what you’re trying to do. When you are surrounded by others who not only understand your dream, but share it. Definitely magical.

  As part of my undergrad degree, I attended my very first writer’s conference. It was a local one, sponsored by Cleveland State University, called Imagination, Writing in the Slipstream, or something like that. I still have no idea what that means, but I knew there would be real writers there, who had actually had books published, who would read my work and give me my first professional feedback. It felt like a big deal and it was. It was at that writer’s conference, attended mostly by Clevelanders and students of the university, where my writer’s group found me.

 During one of our workshops, we were required to share with and accept feedback from out fellow students and a moderator. One of the writers in my group was also a fiction writer and I fell in love with her style. Over the course of the week, I found myself looking forward to her submissions above all the other participants.

To my surprise, she felt the same about my work and invited me to sit in on a meeting with her writer’s group. As luck would have it, they met in a coffee shop directly across the street from my apartment. There were four of us total. That was in 2005. Twenty years later there’s three of us still holding strong, we suffered a loss when one of our members, our dear Mary, passed away. A loss we can never see replacing. After twenty years we’re more family than friends. We know and respect each other’s writing styles, different as they may be. And, most importantly, we are honest with each, no matter how good, or bad. We all love wine and good food, and each other, so that never hurts.

 I’m sure absolutely sure that my experience wouldn’t be the experience of every writer. There was actually another writer that seemed weirdly focused on cows and farming, who asked me to join her group first. But however, you meet your group, be it a writer’s conference, a book club, class, or an advertisement on an index card in the student union (yes, my age is showing). I highly recommend getting one.

 Just be sure that your interest aligns, you respect each other’s work, and that you are at least close to being in the same neighborhood in your writing journey. As much as I love Stephen King, I don’t know if I would want to be in a writing group with him as a new author.

Your writing group, if it’s a good one, will do more than tell you where to add a period or remove a sentence. These are the people who will be there to celebrate your wins. As well as hand you a glass of wine when you suffer those inevitable disappointments. They’ll also be the ones who will tell you about that huge plot hole you didn’t see. Or point out the theme you’ve written but never noticed.

 You will not always agree, but their insights should always make you think. Remember your writer’s group cannot be there just to pat you on the head and say good job, that’s the job of your loved ones. Instead, they should be there to push you when you need a push. Help your see clearer when the cloud of indecision has engulfed your brain, and encourage you try to write just a little bit more, when you’re stuck or simply being lazy.

 I’m sure you can write without a writer’s group or a beta reader. I know plenty of people do. But I never will.