4 Reasons Why Everyone Needs a Writing Buddy
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Photo credit: Daniel Y. Go / Foter / CC BY-NC
I firmly believe that every writer should have at least one
writing buddy, one of those magical beings who can fix your books in a single
conversation and whose comfort is (almost) better than a mound of chocolate.
Writing buddies come in all shapes and sizes, and help out in a lot of very important
ways, such as ‘fangirling’, coming up with wacky novel ideas, and chatting late
into the night. My writing buddies have been a big inspiration and help in my
writing, and I owe a lot to their tender ministrations. So, in honour of
writing partners everywhere, I would like to present this little list of
reasons why every writer needs to have a writing buddy.
Encouragement:
Writing buddies get you. They understand the difficulties that come with being
a writer, and how some days it feels like your characters are picking on you
and destroying that carefully planned plotline you had. They’re the ultimate
cheerleaders, ready with the right words to make you feel better and to
motivate you to write again. One dose of writing buddy is guaranteed to
motivate you.
Inspiration:
Writing buddies are the best at brainstorming new ideas and fixing plot holes.
Many times I’ve been absolutely stuck in my book, unable to go on for days
because a single detail is stopping my progress. One conversation with a
writing buddy and we’ve fixed that hole and the next three as well. The best
thing is that writing buddies don’t always just give you the answer, but help
you figure it out for yourself.
Understanding:
Being a writer is hard work, and sometimes you just want to rant to someone.
Maybe you don’t need help or even encouragement. You just need a listening ear
to pour your troubles into, like troublesome characters, wayward plots, or the
editing monster. Enter the writing buddy. Like you, they’ve felt it all, they’ve
been in the dark spots of writerdom, and they totally understand your pain.
Writing partners are the best people to vent to, and they’re completely
non-judgemental too.
Collaboration:
Writing buddies aren’t just there for support. First and foremost, they’re
writers, as well as buddies, and sometimes, you can team up with them for super
epic collaborations, like collaborative novels, character chats for developing
characters or, as I have recently discovered, working on a collaborative blog
together. Writers can accomplish so much on their own, but together, the possibilities
are limitless.
Here are just a few of
the amazing reasons why everyone should have a writing partner, and what we
should be thanking our awesome writing buddies for. What else would you add to
this list? Do you have some epic writing buddies? Give them a shoutout in the
comments! Want to go visit my collaborative blog I’ve set up with some of my
writing friends? You totally should!
15 comments
Writing buddies for the win! I personally want to thank Athelas for being my writing buddy... She's always super encouraging and knows just what to say at the right time. And she's always open for Word Wars, which is pretty awesome and helpful. :p Thank you also to Alea, Anna, Aimee, and Ana! You guys are what keep me writing.
ReplyDeleteSo. *steps off platform* I completely agree with this post. Without writing buddies, I honestly wouldn't be writing today. They encouraged me in a way that showed I wasn't the only teen writer out there--there's actually lot more.
Oh my goodness. I just realized that all of their names start with the letter "A." Too funny. :p
DeleteThat's one of the great things about writing buddies. Sometimes it's not about them helping you with your writing. It's just about them reminding you that you're not alone and that there are other people out working and struggling the same as you. Your writing buddies sound amazing!
DeleteMy writing buddy, Sunny, and my brother were the only two people I shared my writing with before I started my blog. :) And collaborative blogs are awesome!! We (me, Sunny, and another friend) used to have a collaborative blog......*shivers* but lets not go there. XD Great post!! :D Writing buddies are super awesome to have! ^.^
ReplyDeleteIt's super important to have writing buddies to be able to share your writing with without worrying about it being judged harshly, isn't it? I rarely show my writing to anyone other than my writing friends. They sure are awesome!
DeleteOhh, I AGREE. Writing buddies are awesome. I'm not opposed to writing alone (I wrote alone for sooo many years) but I really do think that when I started getting critiques and feedback was when I started to improve. XD I LOVE MY WRITING BUDDY. I only have one full-time one, but that's okay for me. ^_^
ReplyDeleteOne can certainly learn a lot on their own, but it's also important to have that outside opinion and second set of eyes. If I'm honest, I have a bunch of writing friends, but not really any full time writing buddies at the moment. Having only one writing buddy is perfectly fine. Whatever works for you and your buddy.
Deletei've never had a writing buddy and i think i need to reevaluate this. i tend to lose focus a lot so the encouragement thing is very important. plus, i typically have lots to give!
ReplyDeletei've never considered collab because i'm not the easiest person to work with. it's also why i don't have a co blogger hehe
You make a very good point actually, Nova. Having a writing buddy is not just about what they can give you, such as support, encouragement etc., but also what you can give them. The best writing relationships both take and give. If you connect with a writer who clicks with you, definitely hold them close. A good writing buddy is invaluable.
DeleteI'm so happy I have a couple :) My bestie Jackie is a writer too, and I love it. We've never met in person but we've been online/phone/skype friends for years. There's also my friend Raychel Rose and I agree with all of these reasons :)
ReplyDeleteP.S. Hello Imogen *waves* I kind of disappeared from blogging for a while but I'm trying to get back in.
Online friends can be so good, can't they? Writing buddies are awesome in so many ways. Also, it's great to see you back! Good luck with getting back into your blogging Stephanie. I look forward to seeing you around.
DeleteI don't know what I'd do without my writing buddies. They are fantastic for all the reasons you mentioned. ^ ^
ReplyDeletestoritorigrace.blogspot.com
I think writing buddies are some of the most amazing people ever created. Thanks for stopping by, Victoria.
DeleteYes! Writing buddies are super cool. I've never had a super good writing buddy, and I'm honestly not sure if I would love even having a writing buddy in the super engaged way that other people have done it in the past, and I don't like sharing my stuff or being encouraged in that way. Still, they are fun people to have around, for sure!
ReplyDeleteI think it's perfectly ok not to want a super engaged buddy. Sometimes I think I'd like a buddy who is super engaged, but then I think that it could end up being more of a pressure or a burden for some personalities. I like writing friends I can call on when I need help, but who leave me be when I'm doing ok. Everyone has their own needs when it comes to friends and support.
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