Peers with different skills

Where are you at with your writing?

I started writing (many) years ago, as a hobby before making it my lifestyle. I know writers who have only this year decided to try to write a story. I know writers who have published multiple books, and I know writers who desire only to write in their journals.

Who is the best writer? They are all equal, because we are all meant to be different.

I strongly encourage every writer to join a writers group and have their story critiqued. So much can be learned from this valuable experience. You get to hear other styles, genres, techniques and ideas and learn to break down what you do, and don’t, think works. Then you get to hear your story aloud, read by another passionate writer (yes, it’s scary at first). Simply by hearing someone read your words, you will notice little intricate details that could be improved. Maybe they stumbled or hesitated and you think, “Ahha, I can make that line flow better”. After the reading, you will be supported and encouraged by a group of writers who want you to succeed.

Now, for the exciting bit. Around that table is an enormous range of skills: English teachers, professors, published authors, speakers of multiple languages, and humans who have personally experienced part of the story you are telling, What’s more, these writers are also readers who, collectively, have read more books than you ever will, so they have seen words put together in ways that will help your book be even better. (The old saying, ‘Two heads are better than one’ definitely applies to writers.)

I said earlier that it can be scary having your writing read by others. We’ve all been there. I challenge you to embrace it.

• It is better to have any errors found by a likeminded caring supporter of you and your work. Preferably before your work is rejected by a publisher, insulted by a journalist, or worse – replaced by a reader.
• Consider critique as a place where your writing has unlimited opportunities for improvement.
• Remember, every writer and famous published author was once a baby who was learning to say ‘mum’. Look how far we’ve all come since then.

We are all at different stages of our writing journey.

I would love to hear about yours. Where are you at? What do you plan to achieve? What are you working on?