Week 16: Community

A writer's life can be a solitary one.

Most, if not all, of our creative process is done alone. Our minds become a companion, a steadfast ally, or even, a more visceral adversary. With enough solitude, a writer becomes their own worst enemy. The inner critic starts bench pressing 250 and never misses leg day, dashing hopes and ideas with the quickness. So do we combat this foe made even more formidable with isolation?

We need community. By community, I mean a group of writers that we can turn to when we need to get out of our heads and create some distance with the inner critic. These writers can be colleagues. They can be writers you meet at a conference or a workshop or another writing related event. Or perhaps you went to school with them, whether in a BA, BFA, or MFA program. Or maybe another degree altogether that has nothing to do with writing. You're all biologists who enjoy writing thrillers and there, you've found your home.

In this community, you can vent, share challenges, commiserate on setbacks, rejections, or even celebrate the wins, the blessings, the doors opening.

Writing is a solitary discipline, but it doesn't have to be all the time.