Despite our growing mastery over words, us writers have a rather silent art form. In comparison to other artists, writers have a much more difficult trial of self-advocacy: actors, dancers, and musicians can invite others to their performances; visual artists can post photos of their works-in-progress to social media. But if a writer tried any of these tactics, it is unlikely that they would generate similar praise and approval. Writers, if lucky, may have a selected few whom they can trust to read their work and respond with comments more fruitful than “Nice job” or “I really liked it”. Lord knows suffering artists need the confidence boost… but we’re in greater need of making our art more public, more visible, more vocal.
So: how do writers develop a sense of community and feel acknowledged as artists?
Well, it isn’t easy.
First off, we have to separate experiences into online and IRL. In real life, finding other writers is like hunting for chameleons: we’re jerks that hide in plain sight. Maybe we just need to start hosting alcohol-initiated book clubs at our houses to start making these friends…
Online, using just the right search phrase can help you locate websites which host dedicated writers. From my own experience, my writing community often exists only in the month of November, which I’m sure many of us will recognize as National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). The website NaNoWriMo.org is a resource I’ve found useful for beginning a story or fleshing out the plot, with forums full of feedback. For those other eleven months of the year, I’m left dry.
I hope you weren’t reading this article in hopes that I would have some magical answer to solve this dilemma. Because I’m still struggling myself.
Only recently have I found an opportunity to meet fellow writers who are looking for test readers: author Maggie Stiefvater monitors a Google Forum through which writers can pitch their books and search for trial readers. I’ve had on and off success with one girl, in part because she lives on a different continent, but also in part because, well… life gets in the way. We’ll both go a week without emailing a response because there was that college homework, or that friend’s party, or that Youtube cat videos marathon.
If you find someone who is a fellow writer, be the writer friend that you want to have: ask them about their writing, gush over their characters, wipe their tears with their brand new form rejection letters. Channel your inner Mom and nag someone again and again to read your work. Give one another the time of day – set up Skype dates to discuss the five book chapters that you exchanged last weekend. Hold one another accountable as readers, writers, and critics.
A writing community is essential to growing as a writer. To find those people who will support you as a writer, you’ve got to put yourself out there – it’s like querying for a friend. So don’t wait for your friends at lunch to ask you about what you’re writing: change the conversation from Chris Evans’s glistening physique into your Vikings erotica that you’ve been rewriting for four years. Something that is very hard to do is to be your own advocate. But no one else is going to do it for you.
Express your need to share and talk about your writing with your online and real friends. Because it is a need: not a want, not a hobby, but a defining aspect of who you are. And people have to know that it exists. So get loud about your writing.
 |
| Read more of Cam's work on Floodmark. |
No comments:
Post a Comment