Halloween is soon upon us! I love how low-expectation it is, so anything about it is easy to appreciate as a bonus. My doggie takes barking seriously when visitors knock at the door, so I enjoy halloween vicariously, through kind neighbors who decorate their lawns. Sweet friends scoot their fire table onto their driveway, where my husband and I join them to marvel at the stream of ghouls and goblins. Generosity, whimsy, creativity, it’s all there, and it feeds my soul as a novelist (about my novels here).
The other day, while walking my dog, I was totally tickled at seeing this on a nearby playful soul’s lawn…
Today’s guest post is all about the wonderfulness of people connecting. You might remember Darlene Foster from when she guested here before.
The Importance of Mixing with Other Writers by Darlene Foster
“Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.” -Jane Howard, novelist
Because writing is a solitary activity, it is beneficial to spend time with other writers by attending writer’s conferences and retreats, joining critique groups and reading the blogs of writers. Other writers possess a wealth of ideas and offer encouragement and motivation, something all writers need. Without the support of the writers I have met in person and online over the years, I would not have completed and published ten books in my Amanda Travels series.
Four years ago I was invited by a blogging friend to attend a small writers’ retreat on the Isle of Arran off the coast of Scotland. It was just what I needed, time with like-minded people and uninterrupted time to write in an inspiring location. Since we all found the retreat so valuable, we decided to hold it every year since. Although the focus is on writing, attending morning workshops and discussing writing, we always manage to get out and explore the island. After completing my work-in-progress, I began to think about my next book in the series. Why not set it on the wonderful Isle of Arran? After all, I had plenty of material.
I subsequently completed book #10 of the series, Amanda in Scotland: The Standing Stones and launched it in June of this year. One of my writer/blogger friends provided the photograph for the front cover while others beta-read the manuscript. Many others helped me through the process of self-publishing. My three excellent critique groups offered valuable advice and suggestions which helped make it a better book.
It may take a village to raise a child, but it also takes a network of writers to see a book to completion. If you can’t travel to conferences and retreats, check out the many blogs, like this one, by and for writers. You will be amazed at what you will learn, the contacts you will make and the encouragement and support you will receive.
A little about my latest book — Amanda in Scotland: The Standing Stones
What could possibly go wrong on the magical Scottish Isle of Arran? It’s such a peaceful, charming place with castles, mountains, old graves and ancient standing stones.
Amanda Ross and Leah Anderson are visiting Aunt Jenny who owns an old house on the island. But something is not right. A mysterious woman, who seems to have stepped out of the past, keeps appearing, Leah’s father hasn’t contacted the family for some time, and Aunt Jenny’s house may have an uninvited guest.
Amanda is intrigued by this picturesque island, often called Little Scotland. She watches exciting sheepdog trials, attends a lively ceilidh, makes friends with the locals, and visits the mystical Holy Island. Join Amanda as she tries to solve the mystery of the strange woman and the disappearance of Leah’s father. Will the past catch up with the present?
Do you have a creative tribe?
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A lovely feature da_AL and Darlene’s books evoke memories of past travels and excites us about places we have not yet visited. I agree wholeheartedly about the benefit of being part of a thriving and supportive writing community and also developing a closer connection with a smaller group around us even if it is only online. Darlene has taken that to the next level with her writing retreats and reading the posts afterwards it is clear it is a wonderful experience.
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Thank you so much, Sally. You have been instrumental in building this creative tribe here in blogland. Never underestimate the power of networking, whether in person or on-line.
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We are stronger together ♥♥
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Your site is a perfect example of a place where writers can cheer each other on ♥️
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Thank you that means a great deal ♥
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Excellent both of you – for Darlene and da-Al. We all really like WP!
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Indeed, for all WP’s quirks, I’m grateful for it!
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Thanks, Chris.
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Hi da- AL, it’s lovely to see Darlene here. She is a wonderful writer. She is fortunate to be able to attend such a lovely writers retreat. There seem to be a few events like this in both the uSA and the UK.
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Thanks for those kind words, Robbie. I am very lucky indeed to have been invited to this retreat.
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Hi da-Al and Darlene! So great to have you both in the same place right now. 🙂 Yes, I have a tribe, a number of them, and I know I wouldn’t be still writing and publishing without the support. My #1 tribe is here in the blogosphere. Oh my – I love to write but I didn’t have the glow within me during my writing until I began to blog. So much love given to me as I share my stories. So many positive comments that have kept me going! And in turn, I have met many terrific people/writers who I’ve learned from about writing but also just about living. And about different countries and spaces within our spiritual selves. Incredible. My second tribe is probably my creative writing students. I thrive as I see THEM thrive as I encourage them to write ‘their heart out’ so to speak. The courage is immense. And we share our stories out loud with each other, giving a strong dose of confidence. Lastly, my long-time friends are my writing tribe. Listen to this: my publisher lived in the same dorm as I did in college! My illustrator is married to one of my long-time (male) college friends. Other college friends flew in from far and wide to support me in my latest children’s book launch. Then they feted me after with lunch and dinner and a lot of laughs. No, we couldn’t be strong, successful, happy writers without our tribes.
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Well put, my friend. I am always blown away by the support I get at my book launches. We certainly need a tribe of like minded folks to keep us going.
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Goodness that’s impressive and wonderful!
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A heart-warming and delightful post, da-AL and Darlene. I live off the beaten path, so our WordPress community is my writers’ tribe. The kindness and support is beyond words. And a great book that I highly recommend too. 🙂
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Thanks, Diana. I moved to Spain and was far away from my creative tribe in Canada. The WordPress Community certainly helped fill that gap. Thanks for the recommendation!
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❤
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Thanks for stopping by. The internet is wonderful for helping us find like minded people. Most people around me hardly read and hate to write so finding folks like you, Darlene, and the rest is invaluable to me
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