Blogger: Michelle Ule
Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.
Writers tend to be introverts who spend long hours working alone, playing with their imaginary friends.
Some of us are extroverts who like the exchange of ideas, using words that fly out of our mouths. We even talk to ourselves while we type to make sure the right words get into the proper order.
But, we all have to spend long hours sitting in our chairs doing the work primarily alone.
My husband often comments that many more people want to write than people want to read what the writers have written. That can be a discouraging thought, but it’s equally true that a lot of people are interested in writing who are happy to talk about the craft and what it means.
Our first helpers, of course, were the people who taught us to love words and to read. My father fostered a love for the written word by playing word games with me as a child. My mother forced me to learn how to read when she no longer had time to read yet another Dr. Seuss book.
Teachers taught me about writing and reading, including the UCLA teaching assistant whose words I can still hear: “Make sure you prune out all the deadwood in your writing.”
In 2011, writers have ample opportunity to find help with their work. Writers conferences abound, online critique groups can be found (ACFW has an expansive system to hook up writers with critique-groups) as well as local writers’s groups, and the company of fellow writers. You don’t have to write in solitary hoping someone, somewhere, will give you an opinion on your work.
In fact, you shouldn’t. While a writer doesn’t need a lot of people reviewing his or her work, you should have one or two trusted readers who will tell you what they really think about your latest project. (And, frankly, it probably shouldn’t be your spouse or your mother unless they’re professionals).
Blogs such as ours exist to facilitate a writer’s journey to publication, or at least to increase satisfaction with how an idea is crafted.
I just typed “writing helps” into Google and found 7,170,000 hits. Plenty of people are willing to help you with your writing.
In addition to on-line resources, books and your local library can also help. We often recommend Sally Stuart’s Christian Writer’s Guide or The Writer’s Market for people looking for marketing suggestions. Our local library has 775 books on writing throughout the system. Among my favorites: Noah Lukeman’s The First Five Pages and Stephen King’s On Writing.
Many C.S. Lewis and J.R. R. Tolkien lovers would rejoice at the opportunity to spend some time with a group like the Inklings. Many writers would love such a literate group to discuss their own work. I’m just thankful so many have helped me on my writing journey and always seem willing to answer questions and continue to cheer me on.
Thanks.
What about you? Who are/were some of the most important helpers and mentors you’ve had? Any books or websites that have made a difference or for which you’re thankful?
Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell has made a HUGE difference for me. HUGE. And my dear, dear writing friend Patty Wysong has encouraged me through all my adventures – as I hope I’ve done for her. Great post!
Michelle,
It is good to be thankful, to take a moment and reflect. I appreciate this blog and each of the contributors. The information you provide, and the ideas you stimulate are helpful and needful, especially for me.
My thankful list:
1. My husband and family…my special “encourager” angels.
2. Two writer friends and our local writers group.
3.Blogs: Books&Such
Blogging Bistro
Kaye Dacus
Various others
4.Books: On Writing by Stephen King
The Art of War for Writers by James Bell
The Elements of Story by Francis Flaherty
5. Our local ANewsCafe.com for giving me an opportunity!
I am anticipating adding to my thankful list:
1. An agent
2. A publisher
3. Readers!
Blessings!
I could really relate to your first couple of paragraphs. What? Isn’t it normal to be your own assistant? =)
I was always an avid reader even though I wasn’t really read to as a child. I’ve always loved every thing about books, from how they smell to how they make me feel.
But, it was really Glynnis Whitwer from Proverbs 31 Magazine who God used to start me and keep me on the writing track. She was so gracious to me and really spoon fed me for a while. She’s a busy lady and I would not have expected it. She put me on the editing team and while I think I have contributed to the magazine, it has really helped me to fine tune my writing. Her love and encouragement mean SO much!
I also have a great friend who is a writer and we speak each other’s language.
Faithwriters.com has also been a huge contributor, especially once I started writing fiction. Their weekly writing challenges are fantastic for improving your skills.
Thank you for encouraging us to be thankful. I can’t begin to count the number of people who have been helpful to me. Family, teachers, critique group members, presenters and attenders who have chatted with me at conferences, members of online groups, and bloggers (including you) have all contributed. I appreciate all of you!
Craft books include Debra Dixon’s Goal, Conflict, and Motivation.
Jody Hedlund’s blog has some great writing posts as well as Janalyn Voigt.
Author Colleen L. Reece has been a wonderful mentor.
And finding a good critique partner is crucial. 🙂
I’m amazed at the writing help available for free on the web.
Great post, Michelle!
A couple writer friends who are further on the journey have been a tremendous support to me. And of course, this blog is always full of helpful information! 🙂
Encouragement and advice impacts me so greatly. I’m truly thankful for more advanced writers who take their time to write about writing in an effort to share and encourage. (You all are included in that group!) I’m also incredibly thankful for peer writers (a group I consider to be better than myself, but we’re all relative “unknowns!”) who desire to build up others and journey together – fellow bloggers, critique group members, friends. I’m beyond thankful for my family and fellowship for their support. And thankful for God’s unfailing grace, provision, and guidance!
I have a bit of an odd question. What advice would you give regarding how to ask someone to mentor you in writing? I imagine the best mentoring relationships form naturally, which is what this slightly introvert girl would prefer. But I also feel led (and am praying about this path) to seek a writing mentor. One of the biggest concerns I have about approaching this person is that I don’t want them to think I only want an “in.” I want sincere guidance, and I would love to help encourage or assist that person somehow in return, too! Any advice from those of you who have formed a mentoring relationship?
Love the grateful focus on this week’s posts!
While its true we write alone, none of us are successful alone. I owe gratitude to the teachers at the summer OCW coaching conference, my critique group, and Etta Wilson (alas my former agent). Randy Ingermanson’s blog has also been helpful as well as a number of books including Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass and Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight Swain.
And I’ll always be thankful for the Bookies Retreats!