If you are a writer, you know that there are basic things that keep your juices flowing. Reading the work of other writers inspires you with fresh ideas. Getting feedback on your work helps you to craft it. Having a support network can keep you going when you face rejection, writers’ block, and struggle to manage the lifestyle issues of the creative type that you are.
All of the above needs and more are supported in on line writing communities. Thank goodness for the internet! Where once it may have been difficult to find like-minded kindred spirits, now they congregate on the internet and you can find them no matter where you live.
Once you find one or more online writing community that you resonate with, you will find that mentors, friends, and understanding souls are abundant. You can exchange feedback with fellow writers, which keeps you reading and gives you the feedback you need. Sometimes it’s easier to show your work and face possible rejection from a stranger, rather than a friend or family member. Strangers are more likely to be honest rather than polite.
Since writing is a solitary activity, where the writer goes deep into meditative creativity, it’s easy to go off into the wild yonder of your own imagination and loose touch with what makes sense to other people. You can write passages that touch the deepest part of your heart and make you weep as you write it, only to find that others find it less than inspiring, or even less than comprehensible. Art is always about making those deep and profound personal experiences and ideas available to people outside yourself. Of course, not everyone is going to get it. You are free to accept or reject feedback you receive. But isn’t it worth the ego bruise to really listen to and incorporate good feedback worth it, if it helps the core intent of your work come out?
The moral support and inspiration to keep writing is probably the most valuable thing about an online writing community. As artists, we often struggle with issues of how to make a living and also have time to pursue our creative interests. Some of us feel as if we must create or die! That’s what makes the prospect of making a living with our art so attractive. But, it’s hard to do. A lot of people want it. An online writing community can be your reality check. It can be a great networking tool to help you find the resources you need. It can be a source of reassurance that you’re not the only one facing challenges, AND that successes do happen.
Creative types are often ultra-sensitive people, so after the creation phase is over and it is time to exhibit your work, the hustle and bustle of marketing, the personal sense of vulnerability and exposure, and ego-bruises from negative reviews can be overwhelming and hard to take. Your writing friends can be a serious source of solace and keep you going. After all, there is a reason we creative types keep coming back for more. The sheer joy of creation, the catharsis of self-expression, the hope of helping others, and the almost spiritual experience of being in THE FLOW are worth all the sacrifices and hard work. Your online writing community can be a source of kindred spirits who remind you why you keep going, when it counts the most. So, get your nose out of that book, get on line, and invest in some friendships that could be building blocks to your career as a successful writer.
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