Support is important

Let's face it: Writing is hard. It's tough, it's lonely, and it makes you want to pull out all of your hair at times. If you're looking to make this into your career, you a pretty much a masochist with all the crap you're going to be putting yourself through.

It's a hard, maddening process of writing a book that you aren't sure will ever go anywhere. My current WIP may not even be up to snuff to land me an agent (although, we try not to think about these things). Writers constantly berate themselves for not being good enough, whine that everything is going wrong and throw ourselves into very solid brick walls again and again – and I'm almost metaphorical about that.

That's why writers need a good level of support. We need people who understand what we are going through to some extent, who realize exactly how important this is to us. These people are our cheerleaders, the people we go to when we need a shoulder to cry on or to whom we take our drafts when we've written something of which we're proud.

These people can come in many forms: parents, siblings, friends, significant others, children, or critique partners. My best friend and critique partner Sarah is the person I go to when I need help, support or feedback. She cheers me on when I'm feeling down, swoons over my characters when I want her to swoon and keeps me on track when I falter. She is the best thing for which I could ever ask.

These people are important so that we don't drive ourselves insane. Without them, we could forget who we are and what is most important to us. They remind us there is a life outside of writing while allowing us to hole ourselves up for hours on a writing binge. They get us.

Today, tell the people who support your writing what they mean to you. Take them out to coffee, bake a cake, or just give them a hug. Because without them, this already hard process would be damn near impossible.

So tell me, who is your biggest supporter? And, if you're feeling up to it, tell me what you're going to do for them?

Comments