This week held a wonderful hour of sitting with two other seasoned writers, the sort of writers who passionately studied writing as a career. They will forever see themselves as writers, even if they work other jobs for an income. This visit reminded me of the energetic power of our common ground.
Mavericks Win.
We laughed hard about how one of us would historically receive peer feedback and then submit her work entirely unchanged for publication – implying her utter confidence in its original form. The apparent arrogance balanced with zero need for peer approval was delightful and disturbing! Then she was repeatedly published. It was maddening.
I knew I would never be her. But I sort of wanted to be.
Form, or Fun?
We also discussed the strength of strong editing skills, to which the third writer scoffed, believing that he was a mercurial creative, not some clean-up crew. Leave the editing to the editors!
I wondered if he would independently blog with the same attitude, and if we would always forgive him because his writing was so exquisite and avant-garde, despite occasional errors.
Drinking the Mead
The point is, folks, we were each different in our priorities and our approaches to the art of writing. Yet, the blend of us in that small space, laughing and posturing, wondering and welcoming had brewed properties both devilishly clever and equally up-lifting. A zinging energy zipped about us like the mythical fae.
It made us want to drop everything and write.
As I reflected upon this chat days later, alone in my car, I recognized that such an experience left me so deeply satisfied, and I longed for writer chats to be woven into my life forevermore.
Communing with the Collective
Holding conversations with writers is sublime for me, since other writers really get me. It is endlessly stimulating. Hanging out with other writers makes me feel resoundingly alive! It makes me want to write my little heart out, and it makes me want to read and discuss everything they share.
While this recent visit was in person, I am challenged by living off grid, away from other writers. This is why I also participate in an online writer’s group who Zooms twice a month, utilizing Google Docs to process our written work.
If you find yourself alone in the writing realm, do something about it. Needless to say, writers spend significant time on their own, but we don’t need to go it entirely alone.
