Writers’ Hands
A Special Type of Koinonia
Hands. Helping hands. Extended hands. Writers’ hands
Seven years ago, a writer and longtime family friend urged me to join The Word Guild, a Canada wide Christian writers’ group. I soon made the exciting discovery that one of the members lived only a short distance from me and that some of our children attended the same school!
Janet invited me to come with her to a meeting of a local group: Metro Christian Writers. A whole new world opened up as I discovered a different type of koinonia, writers joining hands together in a supportive atmosphere of fellowship and assistance.
Writers spend a great deal of time alone, getting into their heads, fitting words together, seeking the best turn of phrase, expressing their ideas in new and fresh ways. They outline plots, get to know their characters, research settings, write and rewrite until their storylines are clear, impactful and leave readers panting for more.
Do writers need to hone their craft in total solitary confinement?
No, they don’t.
Canadian novelist Janet Sketchley said, “Writers need community even if we write alone.”
I believe that the most important purpose of our local group, Metro Christian Writers, is to encourage each other.
How do we do encourage one another?
At each meeting, several members read all or a portion of a work in progress. Armed with pens or pencils, our hands quickly write down suggestions on our paper copies. We catch technical errors, suggest better ways to clarify meaning, and address any specific issues the author has.
Within our safe community, we work collectively to give positive and useful feedback.
Another part of our meetings is member news. We share our writing goals and accomplishments. It is rewarding for us all to see an ongoing project reach completion or to celebrate steps along the way. We also talk about events in our personal lives.
As a Christian group, we pray for each other, taking our needs to the One who knows the answers.
One of the most memorable occasions in our group for me was when four of us were selected to have our writing published in an anthology. Together we held several book launches, set up displays, read parts of our stories or poems and sold books!
We bonded together for a common and exciting purpose.
God designed us to need each other. Writers need other writers. Who else is going to understand a statement such as: “A character unexpectedly arrived in my story and now I have to work him in.” We know the challenges, the joys, the frustrations and rewards of using our words to influence our world. Writers’ groups, nationwide or local, are a special type of koinonia, hands extended, in fellowship and support.
This story is published in Koinonia — stories to encourage, entertain, and empower you in your faith, food, fitness, family and fun.
