Finding Tribe

Everyone knows writing is a solitary pursuit, right? Well, yes and no. While the actual heads-down churning out of words must be done alone, being a writer does indeed take a village. Many aspiring writers (and some experienced ones) try to bypass this truism and wind up feeling frustrated, lost or discouraged. Without input, how do you know if your idea is a good one or whether you’ve captured exactly what you meant to say? If you intend to write for others to read, you can’t operate in a vacuum. Trying to do so misses the point and will leave your work flat and lifeless.

And that just doesn’t have to be the case. You can readily find community in the craft. Classes and workshops, conferences, critique groups and just spending time with like-minded individuals – all serve an important purpose in the writing process. Let’s look at some of these available outlets to see how they might serve you as you navigate your way along the writers’ path.

If you reach out to local writers’ organizations (just Google it), you will find a wealth of resources covering every aspect of the craft no matter your focus or your experience level. Whether you long to write essays for the literary journals or pen that next great American novel, you will benefit from instruction and expert feedback. There are classes on everything from poetry to blogging, from dialogue to story arcs, and everything in between. Almost every class is taught by a seasoned and successful artist who can guide you toward your goals. A writing class is a good way to jumpstart a pastime or a career.

The same is true of conferences. You can choose a small conference close to home or a big, splashy event across the country or across the globe. Either way, you will want to find one that seems like a comfortable fit for you and your writing goals. You will find a ready-made community there of serious wordsmiths looking to further their journey. In addition to the many classes and workshops offered, a conference will give you keynote speeches by popular writing authorities, people who have spent time in the trenches and who know what they’re talking about. There are Q and A panels on various topics that provide the chance to meet and chat with other writers. Some even afford the opportunity to pitch agents and publishers. Or. if you already have a book in print, there’s the invaluable chance to promote your work in the form of book readings, signings and sales.

When it comes to one-on-one writerly relationships, a critique group is a wonderful and productive way to connect with other writers. Often held in someone’s home or a cozy neighborhood coffee shop, they are great for giving you the opportunity to read your work and receive valuable feedback. As an added bonus, you have the chance to make lifelong friends in a writing group, friends that “get you” on a very basic level. And that’s something that doesn’t come along every day.

I myself have participated in all of the above types of get-togethers over the years and I can honestly say that most if not all of them have resulted in improvement to my skill as a writer and/or my dedication to the craft. There’s something innately beneficial about immersing oneself in the writing life. Those experiences broaden your horizons. They open you up to new expressions and greater depth in your writing. Sometimes, when you’re feeling every bit the lonely artist, they can restore your soul.

Of course, writing is all about what happens between the lines and outside of these these social events – unless you choose to attend a session in which the participants write during the actual meeting. For the most part, you will use the interactions to learn and become inspired and you will come home ready to take on your project with renewed anticipation. At the risk of preaching to the choir, I have to say that even hardcore, practicing writers sometimes need a little push to seek out the company of others. So, whether you’re that reluctant journeyman, or just someone who feels you have a story to tell but who has never actually put pen to paper, your tribe is out there. The two extreme types won’t necessarily be pulled down the same avenue and that’s okay. To each their own.

Depending on whether you live in a bustling city or in a small village, the opportunities are out there. For a couple of years, I lived in a rural Iowa community that was mostly agricultural in occupation. I was sure I would never find a writing group to join. So, I tentatively placed a notice in the little 4-sheet town newspaper next to the ads for free barn cats and used tractors for sale. My phone started ringing off the hook from writers of all stripes who were hiding in plain sight. Your people are out there. Sometimes you just have to look a little harder to find them.

While on the subject of making one’s own opportunities, I should mention that the editor at that small newspaper contacted me as a result of my ad and asked whether I’d like to contribute some stories to the newspaper. You just never know how an enterprising spirit will bear fruit.

I’ve also lived in larger cities where I found a wealth of writing groups but not one that suited me exactly. At that time, I was thinking of writing a memoir but was a definite neophyte to the form. I was looking for a group that would further my pursuit but where the participants wouldn’t be too far beyond my skill level. Again, I wound up posting an ad – looking for beginning memoirists – and I found exactly the right people with which to launch my project. That book turned out to be the story of how I turned my love of animals into a new career. It was to be my first published book.

I am now in the final draft stage of writing a psychological thriller. I know. This couldn’t be further from the book I started with. This time, I used the Poets and Writers magazine database to locate a group of other published authors who wanted to start a group for reading and critiquing one another’s work. We meet twice a month in one member’s home and, I have to tell you, the experience is absolutely vital to my process. Without that input, my thriller would have fallen flat. Instead, now I’m shopping my manuscript to agents.

But enough about me.

You are a writer. Don’t hem and haw about calling yourself one. As such, you’ve got to do what is necessary and what best furthers your goals. Don’t be shy. Don’t be antisocial. Don’t be lazy. You’re not really so busy writing that you have no time to spend with other writers. And, if you are, you’re doing yourself a disservice.

I’ve met plenty of people who call themselves writers, who create an essay or a poem or a novel in the dark corners of their lonely room. Then they self-publish. They never really know if their creation is any good – or, indeed, if it’s great. Writing means coming out from that safe place and facing the scrutiny of others. And there’s no more supportive and understanding feedback than that coming from your peers in the writing community.

By the way, I have nothing against self-publishing per se. It seems to work very well for some authors and I’m all in favor of any tool that helps get that piece of art out into the world. At the same time, I believe in a rigorous vetting of every piece of my work. It just makes the piece better. For me, traditional publishing is the path to that particular end. You may decide differently. But don’t let it be because you want to somehow “protect” the integrity of your writing by not allowing anyone else’s input. The more eyes that are on it, the better it will turn out to be. You can get those eyes on your work in many different ways. And the publishing process needn’t solely be where it happens.

A lot of writers are introverts, there’s no getting around this fact. As such, it can be like pulling teeth to get them – and their creations – out into circulation. Admittedly, for some the very idea of interacting with a bunch of people who are going to have opinions about your work is a frightening challenge. But trust me, it’s a necessary one and something beneficial to both you and your art. And it does get easier the more often you do it. Think of how you would feel as a newly published author when you are asked to conduct a public reading if you had never shared your work with anyone before. It’s one heck of a lot easier to start before your words are set in stone and gradually build your skill in sharing it with others.

Most of us, the shy as well as the outgoing, enjoy social interaction on some level. And what better thing is there to talk about than your writing. Ultimately, you’re talking about yourself and isn’t that everyone’s favorite subject? Even if you start your networking journey in the relative safety of a strictly online group, the exposure will be a boon to your craft.

If I could tell you one thing that would encourage you to find yourself a writers’ conference or a critique group, it would be that doing so will indisputably make you a better writer. Just as Socrates famously said the unexamined life is not worth living, then I would posit that the unexamined writing is not worth reading. The very act of writing assumes that you want to have something of significance to say. We write because we want to be heard and no one wants to be known as the author of something that is false or inconsequential.

Give yourself the chance to shine. Invite people into your process. Share your results. It will add a whole new dimension to your work and will make you some lifelong friends. There are so many rewarding ways to find tribe, at least one of which will suit your personality and writing style to a tee, that you will be glad you took the plunge. So, by all means, continue to write in private – but then put your best efforts into the spotlight where they belong.