How I Have Found (And Kept) My Writing Community ✨
my thoughts on solitude, giving back & collaboration - welcome back to the Slush Pile!
This month on The Slush Pile for Issue 08, we’re chatting about perhaps the most exciting but also most dreaded part of being a writer: forming—and keeping!—a community of fellow writers to support one another on this exciting but often tumultuous journey. But how do we begin? How do we do it without feeling manipulative, exploitative, transactional, or desperate? And in this pandemic era, how do we do it safely in-person or in an engaging, effective way online?
I’ll never pretend to know all the answers and what has worked for me may not work for everyone. But my hope is that this newsletter issue offers you tangible tips and strategies to create and keep your own writing community, as well as helps you think about the idea of community in new ways beyond just social media (but we’ll get to that!).
In this day and age, we all know that being a writer doesn’t stop at the craft. For decades, we were fed the idea that writing is a craft of solitude, a practice of being with your thoughts for hours at length on purpose and that the only people you regularly talk to are your editor and publisher. But now that’s changing, in part because of the pandemic. When the reality of isolation sunk in, so did our need for human interaction, no matter the form. More and more, being a writer also means forming community with fellow writers — but why? What is community good for? you might be wondering.
Well, if you read last month’s Issue 07, you’ll know that I was going through a lot of turmoil at the time: stress, anxiety, vulnerability, frustration, and uncertainty. A month on, I’m happy to report that I’m doing much better mentally, a lot in part because of the people I had in my corner supporting me. Many people both in real life and online reached out to me after the release of that newsletter offering their support, and I couldn’t be more grateful. To know that I wasn’t just writing into the void but receiving a response and even more, resonating with others who felt the same, was a powerful and much-needed feeling.
But on a more general scale, forming community can do wonders for how you approach writing in the first place. There are two main ways to do this: workshop critique groups and writing groups. To understand the difference, workshop critique groups are when a group of writers submit their work to one another and offer feedback, critique, and constructive criticism. Writing groups/writing workshops are when attendees are given a prompt and a certain length of time to write, with optional sharing at the end with only positive feedback offered to the writer (be sure to pay attention to the type that you’re signing up for because these terms are often used interchangeably).
The other time of writing group is something like tiny writer’s desk or London Writers’ Salon: simple, hour-long online sprints where people can be simultaneously together and apart, individual but communal, and exchange contact info if desired. Recently, I joined this writing group on Tuesday evenings “for shy writers” where we hop on Zoom, work quietly on our projects for an hour with soft music playing in the background, and simply exist together in a virtual space without the usual pressure of being in a social setting, and that’s really helped me to reconsider the idea of writing as a solitary act.
However, it can also be as small as one person! Recently, I’ve loved video chatting with writer friends, catching up, and then working on our individual projects, collaborating on a piece of writing together, or giving feedback!
I would also encourage joining or starting a workshop critique group, which works best with four or five writers maximum. In the ones I’ve participated in currently and over the years, I’ve been able to get some crucial feedback that have made my pieces and overall writing stronger. Some pieces I’ve workshopped have even been published, thanks to their editing and writing suggestions! Just be sure to be in company with writers whose taste you trust and whose writing you respect and admire.
Overall, the only trick with both types of groups is simple: just keep going.
Of course, I would be remiss to discuss the topic of community and not include a segment about social media. Yes, THAT dreaded social media. Personally, I know how intimidating, stressful, and anxiety-inducing it can be to keep up with the various social media platforms out there, let alone update your own profile frequently. But really, it doesn’t have to be all that time-consuming, and it shouldn’t be! Twitter, for example, is something I only use a few times a week. However, I’ve still found it important to use to find submission opportunities, engage with other writers’ work, promote my own work, projects, and services, build a following, and form community in ways that I couldn’t do otherwise.
Here are just a few ways I use Twitter and Instagram:
follow and connect with writers and organizations whose work I admire/whose content I want to keep up with
announce my recent publications/accomplishments/awards
congratulate writers under their announcement posts, which I’ll often retweet/repost
offer to blurb or review writers’ books and big publications to help promote their work
post writing-related memes, whether photos or text or a combination
ask questions using the #writingcommunity hashtag, whether to solicit general advice/tips, get reading recommendations, or spark a fun challenge
share links to pieces of writing I enjoyed reading and why, tagging the original author
share photos of books you’re currently reading/loving/purchased/received in the mail, tagging the original author
share photos/videos of myself, my everyday life, and my interests (NOTE: a single video can be cross-posted across multiple platforms and be used as a TikTok, Instagram reel, and/or Twitter video)
repost calls for submissions from publications and contests
message writers with requests to read over or blurb my work or collaborate (NOTE: this is only recommended if you actually know the person you’re reaching out to, otherwise it comes across in a way you won’t want)
But really, social media is only one piece of this puzzle, and it’s up to you how and when you decide to use it. Because it can become all-consuming and feel very transactional, it’s also valid to choose not to use social media at all or only rarely. And despite what people may think, it won’t make or break who you are as a writer, how many people you reach, or how many sales you earn if you’re selling books. It’s just another helpful tool in the writer’s toolbox!
If done safely, in-person events can also be a great form of community-building. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve been able to meet because of things like book fairs, workshops, public readings, fellowships, residencies, and retreats. The great thing is that a lot of events are always being hosted online or even streamed while in-person, so there’s a little something for everyone. But sometimes it can be intimidating to try to mingle or talk to someone in-person afterward, so I like to shoot them a direct message online or post a photo of the event, tagging the host and person who performed or read to get the conversation going.
Really, the hardest part of all this is doing the research and finding out what’s available or accessible in your area, and most importantly, what’s most affordable for your budget. Unfortunately, the career of writing still prioritizes and benefits higher-earning folks, meaning low-income writers are more likely to miss out on important opportunities because they don’t have access to reliable technology or can’t fork over the high asking price. That’s why I highly recommend searching for local events or in the case of residencies and retreats, applying for any and all scholarships they’re offering. But as with social media, who you are as a writer isn’t defined but how many events you attend or how much money you have on hand to invest in your career—these are simply options for you to think about and consider participating in. Just don’t break the bank to do it!
Forming, building, and keeping up with my writing community is an everyday practice, and it happens in a variety of ways as discussed here. At this stage, I’m comfortable enough to not only participate in the pockets of the community that already exist, but also start my own. From launching my online literary magazine to hosting writing workshops in my areas of expertise to offering my services and mentorship, I’m always trying to meaningfully with others in ways that work for me. The most important part to keep in mind is to be intentional about why and how you’re participating in your writing community. Are you doing it just because you want to get something out of it for your own benefit (i.e. popularity, fame, attention, a big following) or because you genuinely love writing and uplifting other writers and sharing the joy of telling stories?
Obviously, I can’t guarantee that if you adopt these tips, you’ll be surrounded by a community of writers by the end of the week. But what I can promise you is this: write what you can, give back to the community what you can, and the rest will follow.
notes from the writer’s desk ✍️
my favorite recently pub’d pieces:
updates:
STREAMING SERVICE: season two, the sequel to my self-published debut poetry chapbook STREAMING SERVICE: golden shovels made for tv, IS NOW OUT! Digital and signed physical copies are available, as well as the option to bundle both chapbooks and receive a bookmark and sticker with every physical order! Order your copy today! Thank you as always for your support :’)
I will hosting a golden shovel writing workshop in collaboration with Unpublished Magazine later this week! Keep an eye on my social media for more details.
I am now a media mentor for Tectonic Media! If you are a young/aspiring journalist, I am available for consultation and mentorship on a variety of topics. Learn more about my areas of specialty and how we can connect here.
other stories i’m loving 📖
currently reading:
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
currently watching:
Los Espookys S1
currently listening to:
“Obsessed” by Calvin Harris
all my love,
sofía xx