Are you a Column or A Girder?
As writers, we each rely on a group of behind the scenes people to help us get through the next scene, the next chapter, the next manuscript. This group forms, in my mind, at least, a bridge. Let me explain.
I'm lucky enough to have a great support system. I have a critique group of serious, diverse writers who meet every other week and don't hold back on telling each other what parts of the chapter work and what don't. We're not cruel to each other, just brutally honest and encourage each other to produce our best possible work. My cousin reads everything I write before anyone else sees the complete story. And my best friend who spends many hours on the phone with me, listening to me plot out my stories long distance, and offers suggestions. None of these people tell me what to write, they just throw out ideas and eagerly await my next book, to see if any of what they tossed out made it to the final version. These are my columns in the bridge metaphor. They take care of the heavy work, demanding rewrites and editing, keeping me on course. They provide the strong underlayer to my writing.
On a secondary level is my chapter group of RWA, my band of sisters at both Crimson Romance and Soul Mate Publishing, and my family. Each of these groups will lend a hand if called upon, and are always ready with ideas and advice on how to market myself, to answer a tricky question regarding the use of Pinterest or Twitter, and to cheer me on. These are the girders and suspension lines that are visible to the public. They help me maintain a presence to the world. Without both parts, the bridge would collapse and tumble into the water.
So today I'm trumpeting both parts of my bridge. I just began a new work, and have all kinds of great ideas from my critique group on where to take it. And, I'm about to begin the Crimson Romance blog hop, which will celebrate Crimson's first anniversary. I'm pleased to have been with them from almost the beginning with my historic series. My contemporary released this month with Soul Mate, my newest publisher, and I'm finding a whole new network of supportive authors over there. I keep adding columns and girders, and getting stronger. Which is good, since I still can't swim.
I'm lucky enough to have a great support system. I have a critique group of serious, diverse writers who meet every other week and don't hold back on telling each other what parts of the chapter work and what don't. We're not cruel to each other, just brutally honest and encourage each other to produce our best possible work. My cousin reads everything I write before anyone else sees the complete story. And my best friend who spends many hours on the phone with me, listening to me plot out my stories long distance, and offers suggestions. None of these people tell me what to write, they just throw out ideas and eagerly await my next book, to see if any of what they tossed out made it to the final version. These are my columns in the bridge metaphor. They take care of the heavy work, demanding rewrites and editing, keeping me on course. They provide the strong underlayer to my writing.
On a secondary level is my chapter group of RWA, my band of sisters at both Crimson Romance and Soul Mate Publishing, and my family. Each of these groups will lend a hand if called upon, and are always ready with ideas and advice on how to market myself, to answer a tricky question regarding the use of Pinterest or Twitter, and to cheer me on. These are the girders and suspension lines that are visible to the public. They help me maintain a presence to the world. Without both parts, the bridge would collapse and tumble into the water.
So today I'm trumpeting both parts of my bridge. I just began a new work, and have all kinds of great ideas from my critique group on where to take it. And, I'm about to begin the Crimson Romance blog hop, which will celebrate Crimson's first anniversary. I'm pleased to have been with them from almost the beginning with my historic series. My contemporary released this month with Soul Mate, my newest publisher, and I'm finding a whole new network of supportive authors over there. I keep adding columns and girders, and getting stronger. Which is good, since I still can't swim.
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