April 3, 2006
1:09 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
I’ve only been blogging for a month and I’m loving it ‘cos I’ve made more writer friends.
I don’t know about y’all, but I don’t talk about my writing much with my “regular” friends. They just don’t seem to understand so much, though they’re always encouraging. I guess it’s because they don’t have characters talking in their heads, telling them what to do. And it can be embarrassing sometimes to tell people that you’re writing steamy romances. They look at you strangely (especially men) and then rib your husband, asking if I’m sharing any bedroom secrets. And you should see the look on my husband’s face when they say that!
But writer friends are different. They understand. When you talk about having trouble with internal conflict or characterization, they nod their heads in agreement and say I know what you mean. It’s just plain nice to have people to relate with, to talk about different writing techniques, whatever.
And my blog has helped me meet even more! I’ve also met some nice people on the eharlequin boards, and I met my critique partner at the RWA conference last year, which was pure luck that we even crossed paths (the last day, in line for lunch). I don’t have a local RWA chapter close to me, which makes me sad, but meeting everyone online is the next best thing.
So how about everyone else? Are you looking to widen your circle of writer friends? Do you already have a solid support group of writer friends? Too many writer friends? Do you have NO writer friends?
I’ll be your writer friend.
Becky says:
Hi Karen,
oooh -Can I be your writer friend? Pleeeze
(I feel like I’m back in kindergarten)
Yeah - it’s fun to have someone to talk about writing with - I don’t really know any other writers - only the people I’m meeting on the net -and my sister who had her first novel published last year.
My sister writes quite literary stuff - and the literary community is a bit of an unfriendly, jealous, competitive and critical one.
So, I’m glad to be writing romance- the whole romance community is so much friendlier and more supportive.
Becky
Julie S says:
I absolutely know what you mean!
It’s tough because writing is a solitary profession, and there is no built-in social outlet like in an office or something.
None of my “other” friends write (at least I don’t think they do) and I don’t talk about it with them because I’m superstitious and want to wait until I’m published before I announce it. I feel like I’m living a double life or something… it’s kind of cool, actually!
The internet and blogging have been instrumental in keeping me motivated.
Sarah L. Castleberry says:
We’re all a bunch of closet writing fiends! My coworkers would be shocked - shocked! - with what they could find on my hard drive!
lol
Our last RWA speaker writes edgy romantic suspense - and she used to be a straight sci-fi writer, no romance, didn’t even read it.
She started going to conferences, and the romance writers were always the most professional, the most on top of things, and the most generous. Cool for us!
Julie - I have that same feeling about not wanting to make a big deal of until I’ve at least got an agent or some real progress besides “Oh, I’m working on a novel…”
Stacy Dawn says:
I’m always looking to expand!
I’m am so the same way. I live out in the country with four males which leaves romance waaaaaaay behind the testosterone levels. No one else around me writes including my family and friends but at least my husband understands all the excess people in my head…or at leasts puts up with it LOL