The Importance of Writing Communities

I would like to share my journey with writing communities over the last year. I have always loved the idea of community, but my real-life practice of it has not always been what I was expecting. I find it hard to connect with others at times and enjoy my time alone. I have had the challenge of living in an area where there are not many writing groups. These circumstances led me to start looking into the online world of writing groups.

The first thing I found was NaNoWriMo which is writing a novel in November. It was a 50,000-word challenge that I thought sounded terrific, but without an actual steady writing practice in motion at the time, it proved to be complicated. 

This organization has a branch called Camp NaNoWriMo. Where the options for goals were more flexible, and the writing groups (cabins) were smaller. It was easier to find writers I had things in common with such as the genre of writing interest or I found writers who wanted to read what I was writing. 

This organization had functional groups, but I wanted more. I found Facebook groups were becoming the trend for those communities. Many of the NaNo communities had their own Facebook groups that I was added to but after a month or two after the challenge talking fades. I did have a good camp session where there was a lot of talking on the actual site, but I later found out they had been doing camp together for quite a few years. 

I wanted something more out of a group of writers. I knew I needed more time to get to know people. A community that would be devoted to writing and communication for more extended amounts of time. I was convinced at the time I wanted to write a novel, but upon further reflection of my college years, I remember how much I enjoyed short stories. 

I began googling about short shorties where to find them and who was writing them. I came across this site called Story A Day. It seems interesting there were a lot of prompts that I loved, and a challenge to write a story each day for May. They also had a private group called Super Stars. It was a chance for me to take to have community and to meet a challenge head-on for writing. 

So, I began trying my best to put myself out there and become part of the group. It was hard at first because I had not had a lot of communication with writing circles for the last few years. However, I continued to put myself out there and kept trying. It was a significant risk for me to take, but it was so worth it in the end. 

Over time I have gotten to know a lot of people and feel comfortable sharing my work again to get feedback on it. This was a huge stepping stone in the right direction for me. I opened up and let these people in. They have been there through some of the hardest writing days I have had so far. It is lovely to hear from them and get to know them.

I don’t get anything out of sharing this with you. I just want you to know there are communities out there that can meet your needs. There are places you can go and find the writing support that you have longed for. It may not be Story A Day or NaNoWriMo maybe it is a different community I have never heard of. 

My Top Three Reasons for Getting in a Writing Community are:

1. Writing communities give you a place to go when you have questions.

2. They are encouraging when you are having a hard time with your pages.  

3. It is more fun to do things as with a friend than it is to do them alone. Yes, I’m talking to you introverts. 

People who are interested in the same things can be critical to our future decisions and the road we choose in life. I am part of the Story A Day community again this year today is the last day to sign up if you are interested. I just finished Camp NaNoWriMo for April. I am taking the risk to get to know new people and to build new relationships with others.  I can’t wait to see what will happen. 

Monday's Mug The Beginning

Introductions

I would like to welcome you to my first Monday’s Mug. I call it this because I never know what is going to be in my mug. So, if you were sitting here with me today at the table in my kitchen where I have my conversations, I would ask you what you like. I have tea, coffee, and water. I look out into the fields around my home as I make you a cup of coffee.

As I start this week, I can’t help but think of how wonderful Sunday was for me, and I hope that it is just a small preview to the rest of my week. It was kind of a strange and unplanned day. You know the kind of day when you think nothing is working out, but somehow it turns out to be the most fantastic thing ever.

Would you like creamer? Sugar?

So, I have been sick for a few weeks now dealing with this allergy stuff everyone has got, and my chest was starting feel like someone sat on it. I decided to go to the doctor, but there are no urgent cares where I live, and I had a meeting for with a non-profit today, so I decided I would leave early and go to urgent care in a nearby town. 

The urgent care I wanted to go to wasn’t open, and I was super upset. I decided to go to the next town and see if I could get in there. I did finally find it, and I was a little nervous because I had never been there before. I am sitting there about three people in front of me. This older woman checked in a few minutes after I got there. The only seat left was right next to me, and she sat down. 

At first, I was just staring at everyone in the place a million story ideas were streaming before me I couldn’t catch them all. The lady seemed to be straightening her purse. She gets up throws something away and sits back down. I start to cough again as she sits back down.  

Would you like more coffee? I think I’m going to get more water. Here are some great cookies I didn’t make if you would like one.

Anyway, I am sitting there waiting, and this woman asks me what I was there for. I told her allergies and congestion like everyone else. It started something though I was not expecting. 

This conversation started that lasted for almost two hours. She talked about living up north what it was like there and how many different aspects of wildlife she experienced daily. I was a little jealous because I don’t get to see bears, and eagles all the often. She was talking about how hard it was to live in town, and I could relate. We talked about work, family, and religious beliefs. I had made a new best friend in just a short time never even knowing her name. 

It was so strange because I was so upset that I had to go to a different place and then I met this wonderful woman. It was like my soul was just opening up for those moments. I haven’t opened myself up like that in a while with someone. I wish I would have gotten her name. 

Then, I had just an hour before I had to be at the meeting where I was going to meet someone new. I am an introvert at heart in case you didn’t already know this. So, meeting people for the first time for me usually goes badly and stresses me out because I’m awkward, and they don’t know what to do with my weirdness. I can act “normal,” but the more I write, the harder it has been to work like this. 

I get there a little early, and I didn’t really talk too much at first. The woman was asking me questions, and when you start asking me what I do, I don’t shut up. I tell her about my job with the non-profit and about some of the struggles I am trying to overcome within the situation. Before I know it I am talking about my Religious Studies degree again and bonding with another stranger. The rest of the evening just flowed. Everything fell into place. 

It was just one of those great days where you meet new people, and it gives you more hope that there are good people in the world. I got the warm fuzzies. I wish we could talk all day, but I have to get back to work. 

So, until we talk again next week. Have a great day and watch something fall into place.