On Saturday, I abandoned my family to go spend the night with strangers–well, not total strangers. My crit partners! I may be in the revision cave, but that doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to leave it. Especially if it’s for work purposes (please ignore the wine).
Across digital lines of communications I’m quite tight with my CPs, but in real life, I’d never met one until this weekend. Fortunately, none of us turned out to be large, hairy bald men impersonating women on twitter. We were all, in fact, totally awesome, insightful, supportive, and incredibly creative.
Can I just say, if you have not taken the time to hang out with other writers, make it a priority. I know it’s hard to find people. But offer to host, to organize, to drive–whatever it takes–and make it happen! Why? Because writers are the best people for other writers. My CPs did not in fact think I was crazy when I showed up with this:
Really! Instead, we all talked about revisions, and how we handle them. And what we’re working on. And everything we’d ever worked on. And what we might work on in future. And basically everything else in our lives, all in a couple of days that felt more like a week away from the kiddos (one of whom projectile vomited into the sink less than an hour after my arrival home).
So, after blabbing endlessly for hours, skpying with three other writerly friends, and spending a long, quiet stretch of Sunday in our PJs simultaneously clicking away at our laptops, I left with a renewed sense of purpose in my work, hope for my friends, and a big stack of additions to my TBR pile! Thanks, girls. It was lovely.
I will meet you IN PERSON one day Mel!!! And I promise I wont accuse you of being a closet blonde! Glad you had a good time and I was glad to be a little tiny part of your weekend. XOXO
Good for you! Sounds like you had a ton of fun too. (Glad none were scary and hairy) 🙂
Hey, girl! Thanks for stopping by. I hope all's well with you. 🙂
Sooooo great to see you! And sooooo sorry you went home to a pukefest. 🙁 Hope he feels better soon.
Sounds great. It would be nice to meet up with some of my beta readers ( uhm ).
I have writer friends, but not in my genre.
So some were up close and personal, and the others were on Skype? I need to plan an escape from my family for an overnight trip. It's long over due. all the best w those revisions.
I had a group that used to meet all the time and slowly as one got an agent she became 'too good for us,' After that the group slowly fizzled. I hope to rebuild some new relationships in the future! Glad you have such a great and functioning group. That is a huge asset!
What a great idea — and how lucky you're all in the same area!
Thanks for stopping by, Jess 🙂 I hope to connect with even more writers at a conference–obviously that setting makes it much easier. But this was a really nice way to connect (and one of our girls drove from BOSTON to NJ!!)
Change is tough. We had writers at every point in their careers, and that was wonderful. We all had something to offer. And, honestly, we spent just as much time talking about our favorite books of the year and The Vampire Diaries and Downton Abbey as we did writing!