One Is The Loneliest Number
Writing is a lonely job. You sit alone with your pen and paper, or computer, and produce gobs of words every day. You think, breathe, eat, sleep, talk, walk writing all the time. And for the most part, you do it alone.
Writing isn’t like many other professions. Freelance writers face the screen alone. We don’t get to sit in a room full of other writers with lots of creative sparks charging the air. We have to charge our own air–alone.
It’s imperative to remember to network with other creative beings. Even if you aren’t necessarily a socialite, getting together with other writers provides a certain energy you need to recharge your batteries from time to time.
Take me, for example. I’m a loner by nature. I enjoy being alone. I’m an introvert. Being alone doesn’t bother me at all. But every now and then, if I stay cooped up inside too long, I start getting antsy. I get restless and irritable. Even introverts need to get out and be among the living every now and then.
Living deep in bayou country, there are no physical local writing groups. In fact, I haven’t found one yet within an hour or so driving distance from me. So I turn to writing groups online.
Networking online can be just as helpful as networking offline. Both have their advantages. With online writing groups, I get the benefits of meeting and interacting with other writers just the same as I would with an offline group.
The next time you’re feeling restless, make time to find yourself a writing group to become a part of. If you haven’t been able to find one yet, hold tight. I’m working on putting together a writer’s group of my own very soon!
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March 17th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
This is great advice, Hope! I’m also a loner, but too much solitude isn’t good for anybody, and it certainly isn’t good for a writing career. Now I just have to find an onlines writers’ group…
April 6th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
[...] With Other Writers. I can’t stress the importance of this enough. Get together with other writers. Truly, writing is a lonely world. You need the interaction with other like-minded individuals who [...]