The Perils of a Solitary Writing Journey
Reading alone? Sure. Watching something on TV by yourself? Okay, fine. Writing an entire story with a solid community? Not a chance.
To the outside observer, writing requires only the writer and their tool of choice. Of course, as writers, we know better. We grow to understand the value of good company the further we are in our journeys. A solitary pursuit of writing, after all, is certainly not the easiest path to travel and there are several reasons for which I would not recommend it.
Now, before I dive in, please make no mistake that anyone can complete a manuscript on their own. Many writers have done so in the past and many will carry the tradition of isolating themselves in a log cabin and throwing away the key in the future. However, when thinking beyond pushing yourself through that first draft, consider how you will go about editing your novel. Now consider even after you’ve edited the draft. Will you forego opportunities for feedback or chances to get your work in front of agents?
The answer, if you are like every other writer I have met, is a resounding no.
Regardless of where you are in your journey, from typing the first page of a first draft or readying to sell your tenth novel to a major publisher, writers NEED community. I won’t go into the various types of communities much in this blog post. Instead, I’ll make the case against keeping your work to yourself, and there are three stages of a typical writing journey that we can highlight. First, let’s backtrack to the writing of the manuscript itself…
Drafting a novel is the act of getting the story down on a document for the first time. The words comprising the story are typically unedited and will need to be revised once complete. Now, going through this process alone is more difficult, sure, but it is also less enjoyable. The act of writing is fraught with doubt. We doubt every word, every sentence, and when we need to get through especially difficult scenes. I don’t dare re-read my novel while writing the first draft because seeing how bad it is would completely de-motivate me. It is for that reason I find solace in my online writing community. Seeing that other writers on Twitter are going through the same nightmare as I am is a hopeful message. The sense it gives me is that we’re in this together, and seeing other writers succeed fills me with excitement!
The second step in the writing process is editing, and choosing a solitary approach here can harm your career. To send a draft that hasn’t received a second look is to do your work a disservice. Imagine how often you’ve missed something right in front of your face. An email with a misspelled word in the subject line, or a school paper that contradicts itself. To the author, the intention is communicated since it was their vision to begin, but a keen and trusted reader will help ensure your vision is properly communicated. That’s what we do as editors, and what you can get from a solid writing community. Not to mention, editing is HARD. I find that when others are complaining about it too, I feel less alone in my suffering!
Finally, sending your work out into the world alone may be the scariest of these three stages. Whether traditional or self-publishing, you have now exposed yourself to feedback, whether by readers or agents. Sure, you will be doing the same when it comes to critique groups, beta readers, or even your hired editor, but imagine receiving feedback from a stranger versus that from a trusted partner. For one, the partner will provide feedback with much more care, knowing how much work was placed into the novel, and what it means to you. On the other hand, a stranger will speak their opinion without regard for your feelings. Writers are regularly heartbroken by reviews, and without having a community to fall back on for support, you run the risk of that same heartbreak.
I hope that, after examining these three stages in the life-cycle of a novel, you consider how important it can be not to move through your writing journey alone. Solitude can be nice, but too much of it will set us back. So, ask yourself, where is your writing community? If you haven’t found one, reach out to the Angel Editors, or start doing some research into where other writers meet. We’re out there, I promise!
