Three Reasons to Find Good Writing Peers

 

By Cindy K. Sproles

 

The wonderful thing about attending writing conferences is making friends. It's a little intimidating when we attend, especially as a first-timer. We know few to no other conferees, meaning we shrink just a little. We may even wonder where that confidence went before we left home. Let's be honest. It's a little scary. This is why peers are essential. Here are three reasons to establish those people who become your tribe.

Make a friend

When you walk into the conference, your priority is making friends. Sit next to someone and start up a conversation. I know … writers are introverts, and most of us struggle with those initial conversations. Carry mints or gum, pens, or something so you can say, "Would you like a _________?" The conversation will go forward from that icebreaker.

At my first Blue Ridge conference, I sat by the big windows in Pritchell. My arms were covered in poison ivy and wrapped in white gauze. It was all I could do not to scratch. I looked like a zombie. Who in their right mind would even want to stand close to someone who looked like they'd played a role in The Walking Dead? To my surprise, a lovely young woman sat down across from me. She crossed her arms and sweetly smiled. Then she said, "I heard folks were itching to get here." I burst into laughter, and that was it. We became friends. The two of us hung out together, added a couple of others, and before you knew it, we bonded. We became critique buddies and encouragers. A few years later, that sweet friend became a Christy Award nominee, and she invited me along to share in the festivities. We are still friends. The point is, make friends, and you will sustain one another through the years.

Accountability

Your peers keep you accountable in your work. By that, I mean they keep you working. These accountability peers are great if they are writers because they learn the craft along with you. They get the highs and lows we experience as writers and cheer us on. But let's not forget those non-writers who serve to support us and keep us accountable.

I have a wonderful friend who is an avid reader. Even though she loves me, she is sincere. When I begin a novel, she is the person I fire the chapters to as a reader. Her perspective keeps my story in line with what a reader expects and loves to read. When I was working on a novel deadline, she asked weekly, "How's Minerva? I'm waiting!" I love this because her forcing my accountability kept me working when I'd get lazy or stuck. She is fantastic at telling me she needs more information or she thinks a scene is a little drab. However, she is not the person I contact before I send out a manuscript. She is strictly a reader, not an editor, and she's not a family member. It's important to remember that family members love us—even if our work is a little smelly, they'll tell us it's wonderful. Don't fall into that trap. Find those accountability buddies in the writing world who will love you but remain honest. Those will keep you moving forward.

Peer Mentors

Sounds like an accountability partner, but it's not. Everyone needs that one person who can see the bigger picture. This person is excellent at writing mechanics or super at content dissection. They are the ones you can call and brainstorm through a rough spot.

A few months back, I hit a snag in my novel. I was asked to remove a prop from my story. It didn't seem like a big deal since it was not the basis of the story—until every time I removed the prop and replaced it with something else, I had to rewrite it to make the new prop fit. What started as a simple change rolled into a monster. I lost sight of the story and what I was trying to accomplish, so I called my friend Lori. She's a dear writing friend and will serve as that mentor when necessary. She read through, came back, and we spent a couple of hours brainstorming. Boom. We found the fix. It just took new eyes to see through the fog. A writing mentor/friend is a person with enough truth and vision to help you revise if necessary. It's a person you trust in their knowledge and ability as a writer to know they "know what they are talking about." When you enlist their help, they don't push their ideas on you. Instead, they work through the snag with you. This partnership can make all the difference when you are on a deadline. Seek out that mentor friend and use their ability. They will come to you when the time comes to return the favor. Writing becomes so much fun when you can sit down with another creative and brainstorm.

Finally, we know that writers just "get" writers. We understand the isolation, the thought process, and the need to spin a creative idea. Begin early in your writing career to find and put these people in place. Some will remain by your side forever, while others move in a different direction. When that happens, rejoice in the time and work you shared together. Remain fast friends, but give your blessing over their work as they move in a new direction. The point is to discover these individuals who will be your writing peers. You will be surprised how the quality of your writing will improve and how quickly you will grow. The tribe: a writing necessity.

Have you found some good writing peers?

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and nenetus.)

Cindy K. Sproles is proud of her Appalachian Mountain heritage and loves to share it with others. She is an author, speaker, and conference teacher, teaching across the country. Cindy is the co-founder of Christian Devotions Ministries, and she has served as a managing editor for two publishing houses. Cindy is the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference, held each February at the Cove, Asheville, NC. She is married and has four adult sons and two grands.