by Michelle Sass Aleckson, @MchelleAleckson
Writing might be considered a solitary pursuit, but it is nothing of the sort! Sure, only you can get that story out of your head and onto the page, but finding a community of writers will make it so much better. Here’s how.
Networking with other writers means you have help! Everything from help in the creative process—hello, brainstorming, anyone?—to aid with technical issues or publishing queries can be found in a writer community. If you have questions, someone else has probably had that question too and found an answer.
In a community you have support. If you want to get somewhere in the publishing industry you will hit bumps in the road. Big ones. It’s your fellow writers who understand. They’ll be there to pick you up, dust you off, and maybe buy you some ice cream as they share their own tales of woe. There’s healing in the sharing. And they’ll also be the first to lift you up on their shoulders and carry you out in victory when you get that contract or publish that story. They know the blood, sweat, and tears it took.
Writers working together get things done. Some authors are competitive by nature and find writing sprints with others super motivating to get that story written. There are groups and apps to help facilitate writing sprints and many ways to do them. I am not one of those competitive people. In fact, sprints stress me out, but writing with others still helps. I love to join my writer buddy at a coffee shop and spend the afternoon working on our stories. Getting out of the house to meet her helps me focus on upping that word count.
One of the best things about having a writing community is that there’s so much to learn! Listening to others you can learn new techniques in organizing, plotting, characterizing, marketing, the newest technology for writers, and so much more. You can listen to someone else’s creative process and share your own. Everyone wants to keep growing in their skills and write a better book.
Maybe you’re on board with this concept of a writer community but you’re not sure where to find one. Here are some ideas:
-Look for national organizations like American Christian Fiction Writers. Many will have local chapters too! They often host events to help writers learn and connect.
-Writing conventions are a wonderful place to meet other writers! Even if you can’t afford in-person events, some have virtual conventions which are much cheaper or you can purchase recordings of workshops to learn from the pros.
-Start a virtual community. Say what you want about social media, but there are some benefits to connecting with other authors and readers online. You can start by following authors you love to read. Do they have recommendations of craft books or share about their own creative process? You can glean so much this way and start to build relationships.
Utilize your writer community to see what will help spur you on!
Swept Away – Michelle Aleckson
California science teacher and ocean lover, Malani Davis, is only stepping in for another surf instructor. However, she’s not sure this Minnesota deputy, Lukas Berglund, has what it takes to catch waves. Who shows up to the beach in cowboy boots?
But when Luke saves her life, she realizes he’s more than capable and accepts his help in her search for her foster sister. Besides, he won’t be sticking around, so maybe she can keep guard over her heart, and they’ll find the missing teen quickly.
Instead, it will take the help of their friends and a whole lot of grit to face their worst fears and survive as they’re swept away in a wave of danger.
After growing up on both the east and west coasts and traveling the world, Michelle Sass Aleckson now enjoys living the country life in central Minnesota with her husband and four children. She loves rocking out to 80’s tunes on a Saturday night and playing board games with family and friends. She’s a graduate of Novel Academy’s Storycrafter course, and she won the 2018 Genesis Award for Romantic Suspense and the 2018 Cascade Award for Contemporary Fiction.
She writes contemporary stories full of romance, grace, and, yes, a little sass too. You can connect with her at michellealeckson.com