Community will help your writing

Community is key to a healthy writing practice. I always say how writing is a solo sport, which is TRUE (and the closest I’ll ever come to being a sports athlete in general).

Last week I hosted a writer’s happy hour and for 60ish minutes a group of 7 people went from strangers to friends (or friend-adjacent if I’m overly romanticizing things!) because we all had a common goal: we are writers who want to write and want to talk about our writing or writing in general.

I left that happy hour feeling energized because I voiced some of my pain points and was told that I wasn’t alone in that feeling. And when you know you’re not alone, it is easier to face the thing you fear, the writing your avoiding, the words you’re often too afraid to say.

That’s why community is important. Not just to get feedback on the “goodness” of your writing, but to be in the company of people who know your desires, know your passions, know your pain. People who SEE you for EXACTLY who you are, with no judgement.

Who is your community? Reach out to them today -- send a funny meme about writing, ask a question about character development, tell them about a favorite thing you’ve read recently.

My community is built up of friends I’ve met along my writing journey, and each of them has helped me grow and push forward even when I was doubting myself the most.

Want to meet more people? Join my writing sprints or sign up for the next writer’s happy hour on June 16. I’d love to have you.