10 Killer Tips for Beating Writer’s Solitude

By Vickie Miller

When I decided to take up writing and to take it seriously, I was skeptical. Not only is writing all the words a daunting kind of task, but it’s reportedly a lonely world filled with unhealthy vices and rejection letters. Thankfully the unhealthy vices can be swapped for healthy ones and we can take classes or read craft books to improve our writing skills. But how do you manage the loneliness?

Answer: by finding your tribe.

Once you venture into the writing world, you might be surprised at just how much community exists there. The great thing about finding your tribe is that it’s not a “one size fits all” kind of experience. You can find the tribe that fits you best. As long as you’re willing to contribute to your tribe, you’d be surprised how beneficial it can be to your writer wellness.

Here is a list of things you can find by being part of your writing tribe.

1. Like-minded people. These are the ones who understand phrases like “book boyfriend” and acronyms like “WIP” and “MC” and “POV.” You won’t have to explain yourself when you talk about the most recent conversation you had with your characters or how shocked you were to find out your protagonist turned out to be the antagonist in your latest story. Your tribe will understand.
2. An ever growing TBR pile. In writing tribes, you’ve got two kinds of people wrapped up into each person. Readers and writers. Readers love to share the title of the last best book they read. And writers have written great books. If you thought you needed more shelf space before finding your tribe…well, you might want to learn how to build more. You’re going to need them.
3. Critique partners. Once you’ve gotten the courage to share your writing with others, there’s no better place to do it than in the safety of your tribe. And why wouldn’t you want a few of those tribe members to critique your work? They’re writers too and they love sharing their wealth of knowledge.
4. Accountability partners. Are you struggling with implementing a daily writing habit? Do you need someone to prod you gently to get that blog post written, edited, and published? Tribes are full of potential accountability partners. If you’re willing to give the same kind of encouragement to someone else, you’re bound to find someone who will participate in the buddy system with you.
5. Opportunities for honing your craft. Unless you’re determined to not learn, writing tribes either offer learning opportunities or can point you in the direction of where to find some.
6. Courage. When you’re out there writing alone, it can be hard to find the courage to submit to publishers or pitch story ideas to agents. When you’re surrounded by your writing tribe, you become infused with courage to reach outside of your comfort zone.
7. Balance. No one understands better than your fellow writers the delicate balance between living in an imaginary world and having to return to reality for everything else. If finding balance is a tricky thing for you to achieve, ask members of your tribe how they found it. It might be your ticket to success.
8. An audience. Let’s face it. As writers, we want to find the perfect readers for our stories. Although your writing tribe should not become the place you’re constantly shouting “Buy my book” it is a place where you are likely to find folks who want to read your story. And, if your story resonates with a tribe member, he or she will want to share your story.
9. A hand to hold. For every story you get published, you’ll probably have a few that are rejected. No one understands the strange mix of pain and joy that comes with a rejection letter like fellow writers.
10. Friends.

Writing doesn’t have to be lonely or isolating. If you’re willing to engage in a tribe of fellow writers, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find a community of compassionate, intelligent, friendly individuals who will laugh with you, encourage you, and write alongside of you. And it doesn’t matter if you like large groups, small groups, face-to-face interaction, or prefer the distance of your online persona. Search for your writing tribe and you will find them.

Vickie Miller is a writer with an LPC. Although she no longer works directly with patients, Vickie is passionate about self-care. She is currently working on her MFA in Creative Writing and Literary Arts, and uses her passion to help writers. Vickie plays an active role in the 10Minute Novelists group where she is on the admin team and hosts a weekly chat for members about all things writing related, including self-care. Her first novel Soaring Alone is a women’s lit piece about Rachel James, a woman who discovered she’d been kidnapped at birth and now must decide what family means to her. Born in the Midwest, Vickie lives in remote Alaska with her family and giant puppy, Omar. You can find out more about her developmental editing services and semi-adventurous life on her website: www.authorsinkalaska.com. She’s also on Facebook @AuthorVickieMiller and Twitter @VickieM_author.

Chair & Pen publishes stories on the writing process and the writing life. It is edited and curated by Writing Coach Annalisa Parent. To learn more about how to work with Annalisa, visit www.DateWithTheMuse.com

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