Why is being in a writing community so important? By Chelsea Dicicco

It’s such a pleasure to be joining MAYA MAGALANI’s blog, Writing with a Twist, today. I was first contacted by Maya in January 2024. She had commented on my blog post NEWSLETTER VS. BLOGS: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? AND HOW DOES ONE BENEFIT THE OTHER? And expressed her interest in having me join her blog by doing a guest post. After checking out Maya’s website, I quickly realized the answer was YES- I’d love to! But I had never done a guest blog post before, so it was time to do a little research. Once I had the details squared away, then came the fun part: deciding what to talk about.

Since Maya and I are both writers with a passion for helping others stay motivated by sharing personal experiences, I knew I wanted to bring something to the table that would benefit our mutual audience of writers. So today, I’m going to be talking about writing community. Why is it so important? And where can you find it?

MAGIC AND HURDLES

If you’re new to the literary world, welcome, welcome! This industry is truly an incredible place to be. It’s filled with magic. Wonder. Curiosity. Adventure. Eye-opening experiences. But it’s also riddled with hurdles.

Like…
The waiting. Oh, the waiting. It’s a silent killer. Or at least, it can be. But it doesn’t have to be.

What does that mean? What am I talking about?
Ways to look at your writing career.
And the best way to look at your career as a writer is to view it as a journey, not a destination.
If you focus solely on the destination, it will be a very difficult road to stay on.
Is it possible to make it? Perhaps. That being said, having the wrong perspective can directly make or break your odds of reaching success.
So, how can you gain a positive perspective and turn your glass half-empty into a glass half-full?
Ah. Here’s the secret.
It’s your WRITING COMMUNITY.

WRITING COMMUNITY

What exactly is your writing community?
It’s the group of cheerleaders who are there for you when…
You’ve been in the query trenches for eight months and haven’t had a single nibble on the manuscript that you poured your heart and soul into writing for the past year and a half.
Or maybe…
You’ve been querying for a year, and all you’ve gotten back is form rejections. It can be tough.
But, if you have a strong writing community of friends who…

1. Know you.
2. Understand what you’re going through.
3. Appreciate your work.

You may find that the journey isn’t as bad.
And guess what? You’re not alone!
That’s a reminder we all need.

Sometimes, when you’re spending hours on end with characters in your book, it might feel like you’re by yourself in your own little corner of the world. But, really, we’re here with you. And we want to support each other.

Writing community is ESSENTIAL in keeping your wits and spirits about you.

So, okay- that’s great. But where is this “writing community?” How do I find mine?

WHERE TO FIND YOUR WRITING COMMUNITY

There are lots of ways and places you can go to find your people. Today, I’m going to be sharing a list of 7 places where I was able to find mine.

1. Julie Hedlund’s 12 X 12 Picture Book Challenge

Type: kidlit paid membership

If you write kidlit, (ideally picture books, but it can be any genre of kidlit), you’re in luck. Julie Hedlund has created a fantastic writing community through her 12×12 challenge website. This is a HUGE resource for writers. There you’ll find writers who WANT to support and help you. You can find and create critique groups in the forum. You can discover new beta readers. You can join affinity groups. You can find people who are willing to swap manuscripts and offer critiques. You can learn about new writing contests happening near you or virtually. Any information you can think of, Julie’s group has it! And… if that’s not already awesome enough, you can post questions to the forum page or onto the 12×12 Facebook group page. (Note: you must be a member to access the 12×12 forum or 12×12 Facebook group).

2. SCBWI

Type: paid membership

Here’s another fantastic resource for writers and illustrators. SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) shares all the newest events both virtually and in person for writers to join and visit. These events are pivotal for making writing connections within the world of publishing. There you can meet and listen to editors, agents, and fellow writers or illustrators. Yes- these connections can last you a lifetime and help build your career and standing in the literary world.

3. WRITING BARN

Type: Various groups/retreats/events/memberships/classes

This is a new one that I’ve just recently discovered, thanks to a very kind literary agent who offered the recommendation. And I’m so grateful she did! Because joining the Writing Barn this year has been truly amazing. They offer retreats, workshops, classes, and an incredible Courage to Create writing group membership.

4. READY CHAPTER 1

Type: paid membership/all genres

Ready Chapter 1 is a newer resource for writers. It’s not specific to any genre- anyone can join. It offers helpful critique forums, community, monthly webinars, and contests with editors and agents. Pretty cool, right?

5. FALL WRITING FRENZY

Type: free contest/once a year

Let’s see. The first time I joined Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez’s Fall Writing Frenzy Contest was back in 2022. And I can personally attest to the fact that this contest is a great way to meet and connect with fellow writers.

How does it work?

There are a series of pictures provided. You choose one and write a story inspired by it. You have a cap of 200 words (not including title). There’s a submission window. Once the window opens, you post the picture you chose to write about onto your blog and upload your story. Then, you go back to the official website and enter your information into the Google doc provided (with a link to your blog entry). Don’t have a blog? No worries! You can enter your info into the google doc and specify that you don’t have a blog.

If you DO have a blog… this is extra cool because everyone in the Google doc can see your title and blog address, and if your title sounds good, they might just visit your website.

You can also scroll through and find new writers this way. Leaving comments on other people’s blogs is a GREAT way to grow your reader audience, gain new followers, and make connections!

Fun fact: I found one of my critique partners through Fall Writing Frenzy. I visited her blog because she chose the same prompt as I did, and then I discovered her entry was a neurodiverse story, just like my entry! We struck up a wonderful conversation and quickly became writing friends. Fast-forward to a year later, she ended up joining my critique group. And it was all because of the connection we made during Fall Writing Frenzy! Putting yourself out there and participating in these community events is a GREAT way to find YOUR writing community.

P.S. Did I mention there are a ton of prize donors who offer FREE GIVE AWAY PRIZES to participants?

This contest happens every October. If you’re interested in learning more about it, what are you waiting for? Check it out today!

6. 50 PRECIOUS WORDS

Type: free contest/once a year

Here’s another incredible annual contest. 50 precious words! Very similar to Fall Writing Frenzy, this contest, hosted by Children’s book author Vivian Kirkfield challenges writers to write a story in only 50 words, using a visual prompt.

If memory serves me correctly, you CREATE or choose your own image to write a story. So, this one has a little more wiggle room for creativity. My entry for 2023 was on cupcakes.

I can’t tell you how much fun it is to share these images and read other people’s as well. This exercise truly puts joy into writing. And you meet great people along the way.

P.S. In addition to hosting an “adult” contest, Vivian also hosts a “5o precious words for kids” event. How cool is that?!

7. PBPARTY

Type: free contest/once a year

And last on the list, but certainly not least, is PBParty, hosted by Mindy Alyse Weiss. This once-a-year contest has blown up into something incredible. Not only is it a huge opportunity to find an agent or even get yourself a book deal with an editor, but it’s also a great way to make lasting connections in the writing community. Between the Facebook Group, the Critique Trains, and the PBRanking Party, this is a HUGE community connector. Not to mention, if your story is chosen as one of the 50 in the showcase, you’ll be entered into a private Facebook Group, and you’ll have unlimited access for the rest of – ever! That’s right. No expiration date.

Two of my critique partners landed their agents thanks to the help of PBParty! And they’ve made lasting friendships with many of the group members they met through this incredible event. Hopefully, this article has given you some fresh ideas and inspiration on ways to make connections with your writing community.