How to Find Your Fellow Writing People: The Value of Creative Support
Want to know a secret?
When I first started writing more seriously, I didn’t think I needed creative support.
I thought that being a professional writer meant I had to work out all the details on my own.
That’s right.
Everything from the plot to editing needed to be done by me– and only me.
Seeking out support felt like declaring to the world that as a writer, I was a fraud. That I couldn’t come up with my own ideas or properly commit them to paper.
Creative Support
I have no idea why I wanted to make my writing journey so much harder than it needed to be.
I do, however, remember the exact moment I realized just how wrong I was about the value of creative support.
Years ago, over dinner, my late husband asked how my first novel was coming along. He saw how hesitant I was to talk about my plot issues.
When I explained why he gave me a strange look.
“I’m more than happy to give you suggestions,” he told me. “You’re the one who needs to do all the work to reach the finish line.”
I realized that accepting and seeking out creative support simply means that you’re open to feedback and ideas that have the potential to make your writing stronger.
Creative support takes nothing away from you as an author.
It makes you better at your craft. After all, you’re the one logging all those writing hours.
Find Your Writing People
It’s easy to find writing people.
It’s a hell of a lot harder to find your writing people.
Your writing people help to make up your community of creative support.
Just like making new friends, it requires time, effort, and the willingness to develop that spark of connection. And don’t forget, your writing people are people you’ll want to support too!
In my experience, you’ll need creative support people who fill the roles of Plot Person, Beta Reader, and Editing Guru.
Plot Person
Whether you’re writing a short story, novella, or novel, you need a compelling storyline.
This is where a Plot Person can help.
A Plot Person is someone you can talk to about, well, the plot of whatever it is you’re writing. When you stumble over a writing roadblock, a Plot Person will help you work out a solution.
How to Find a Plot Person
Look to your inner circle.
Quite likely, whether you’ve just started writing, or have been writing for years, there’s someone in your life who loves to sit and listen to you talk through your ideas.
And, quite likely, you’ve opened up to this person because they’re great at problem-solving. They help point your story in the right direction.
Beta Readers
When you’ve taken your work as far as you can, it’s time to get some feedback from your Beta Readers.
Beta Readers are made up of a lucky group of folks who get to read what you’ve written– before anyone else!
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You can learn so much from your Beta Readers. All you need to do is give them direction.
In other words: what do you want your Beta Readers to focus on?
Are you looking for general feedback? Overall impressions? Character development? Emotional impact? Inconsistencies?
Giving your Beta Reader guidance will help to shape the way they read your work and the conversation you have with them afterward.
How to Find Beta Readers
I found my beta readers by attending writing conferences, courses, and workshops.
Keep in mind, these are all great places to find Plot People and Editing Gurus too.
While living in England I also started a writing group, which offers critique and writing sessions, not to mention book share evenings. (For those interested, Caversham Writers continues to meet online at least once a week thanks to four incredible human beings and writers who run each session!).
The people I’ve met through these different writing channels are some of my favorite people in the world. They’re extremely generous with their time and offer me invaluable creative support and encouragement.
They make me a better writer. And that, my friends, is exactly what you need from your Beta Readers.
Editing Gurus
When it comes to novel-length projects finding the right Editing Guru is an important writing person to add to your community.
While editing is part of my everyday writing life, I want my work to read as clearly as possible before hitting publish.
Sometimes using spell check and editing software just doesn’t catch ’em all.
This is why I bow before my Editing Gurus. These writing people make my life so much better by tearing my writing apart.
And I sincerely love them for it.
How to Find an Editing Guru
If you’re on the traditional publishing track, your publisher will find an Editing Guru for you. However, if you’re looking to self-publish, it’s best to hire someone who offers professional editing services.
Word of mouth is a great way to find a good Editing Guru. Ask your writer friends if they know someone. Contacting local universities and colleges that offer editing programs is also a great way to find an editor.
Here’s how I found my Editing Gurus.
I discovered Kirkus Reviews after reading APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur– How to Publish a Book by, Guy Kawasaki and Shawn Welch.
I found Nita Helping Hand through my Cover Designer, who I found out about through a fellow horror author and friend.
Embrace that Creative Support Network
Finding your writing people, your Plot Person, Beta Readers, and Editing Gurus is challenging.
However, once you find your writing community, you’ll see how quickly your list of go-to writing people will grow.
If there’s one thing in my writing journey that I’ve learned, it’s that creative support never equals failure.
Constructive criticism and pointers are just suggestions for you to take into consideration.
You, the writer, still need to put in the hard work. But it’s nice to know that while writing is solitary work, you don’t need to slug through it alone.
Want to see some direct results of creative support? Check out The Book of Eve Series. Writing these books was made so much easier because of my writing people. <3
. . . And don’t forget!
Eve’s Return (Book One of the Book of Eve Series) is currently FREE in ebook format on both Amazon and Kobo.
