Writers are a curious and often misunderstood bunch. Whether they're working on their first novel or they're a seasoned pro with twenty-seven books under their belt, navigating the process of writing and publishing can be an emotional rollercoaster—one that we often feel like we're riding alone.
It takes a village to publish a novel. A manuscript goes through so many hands before it hits bookstore shelves, and among the best a writer can have in their corner are those of supportive friends.
Writing is fraught with challenges. It demands a level of vulnerability. The hours are long and can have us feeling like we're going in circles. The frustration towards ourselves and self-doubt, the vicious sting of rejection, and vexation as we navigate the publishing process are inevitable, and these hardships can make it easy to feel overwhelmed and discouraged.
That's why supportive friends are so necessary to a writer. It's good to know we have a shoulder to lean on or a sympathetic ear ready to listen. By showing your writer friends that you care about them and want to see them succeed in their creative endeavors, you can help them stay motivated and resilient.
So, then. How can you best support your writer friend as they work towards their dreams? Here are a few ways to show you care:
Hold Us Accountable, Partner
Writing a novel doesn't happen overnight. A first draft alone can take months or even years to complete! And then you get into revisions, the submission process, the publication process—it's a lot.
Many of us must balance our writing with other responsibilities such as work, school, family, or medical things that must be prioritized. It's often treated as just a hobby, but to writers, it's so much more to us than that. But we're often squeezing it into the pockets of time we're able to carve out within our already busy schedule.
Checking in with us on a regular basis shows not only interest in what we're working on, but that you want to see us finish the damn thing and achieve our dreams. As an example, you might want to ask about our word count goal for the week and follow up a few days later to see how we're doing.
Make Sure We're Taking Breaks
Although we need to remain focused while writing, it doesn't take much for writers to get completely absorbed by our projects, forgetting how crucial it is to give ourselves time to rest, regroup, and recharge.
Don't be afraid to make us take breaks (or come up for air, as my mother puts it).
Give us a call with a motivating pep talk. Plan a self-care day at home or a trip to a local coffee shop. Go for a walk outside. Check out the library. Attend a Paint-And-Sip sesh. Schedule a game night.
No matter what your friend likes to do outside of writing, a gentle reminder to take care of themself can make a world of difference. Preventing burnout makes us more productive and our writing that much smoother, and it's just another way to show how much you care about our well-being as well as our writing.
Just make sure you're not distracting us for too long, of course! ;)
Be Our Rubber Duckie
Just as it can be helpful for you to call your writing friends and check in, we also find it helpful to know that we can contact you.
Perhaps you've heard of a little thing called Writer's Block? Simply put, it's a term used for those moments when a writer gets stuck on their story.
There are dozens of tricks a writer may use to free themselves from the grip of Writer's Block—one of which is phoning a friend. It's helpful to brainstorm and talk through whatever problems we're confronting.
Writers aren't the only ones who do this. Some coders and computer programmers keep a rubber duckie or other inanimate companion on their desk for moral support when they encounter a problem. Rubber Duck Debugging, as it's called, gives the programmer a chance to talk through their code line by line and figure out where they messed up (something that feels less weird when we're having a conversation with a rubber duckie than it would if we were just talking to ourselves).
Talking through their ideas with a trusted friend allows writers to review their stories and reassess them. We might be able to determine what we need to add or adjust based on your reactions. Suggestions and questions from someone who isn't as close to or familiar with the story may just be the thing that helps us figure out where to go next. Outside perspectives can help us identify paths we would not have seen otherwise.
And, some days, we may just need to vent!
Even though it may sound like we're rambling about our imaginary friends, knowing we have someone to bounce our ideas off of can help us more than you might think!
Be our rubber duckie and keep us afloat on the hard days!
Offer Your Feedback
One of the most important phases of the writing process for any writer is getting outside feedback. This can happen at any point along the way, but especially during edits when we're working to improve on what we've got so far.
Offering to be a beta reader can not only show your support but provide your writer friend with feedback that will help them get even better. I personally find that it's helpful to have beta readers who aren't writers, too, in order to gauge how a general reader might experience and come away from your story.
Some writers will include a list of specific questions they have about your impression of their work in progress, but a general rule of thumb for beta reading is to make sure that your comments are constructive and actionable. Be sure to not just point out what you like and don't like, but why. And when it comes to weak spots of the story, it can be helpful to offer suggestions for improvement.
Your insights can help them polish their writing until it shines, leaving them feeling more confident when it comes time to submit or publish their stories.
As an aside, I've been fortunate enough to have several non-writer coworkers volunteer themselves as beta readers, having "bullied" me into letting them read one of my books-in-progress (their word choice, not mine). For more about that, check out this post!
Spread The Word
When your writer friend's book is at last ready to hit bookshelves, the work is hardly over! In fact, this often means we're entering a whole new ballgame.
Marketing is just one of many plates a writer finds themselves spinning outside of writing, and we often need all of the help we can get!
With your friend's book out in the world, spreading the word can do so much good.
For example, you may join our street team as we near the release of our newest book; in the writing world, "street team" refers to a group of volunteers who promote an author and their upcoming book launch by word of mouth or posting on social media.
You can also leave a review and recommend their book to others. And if you happen to have any connections to local booksellers or book clubs or bookish content creators, it wouldn't hurt to nudge us in their direction.
This not only shows you care about our success as a writer, but also helps with visibility and helping our books find their readers!
Show Up For Us
We've all seen those clips of young kids walking on stage for their elementary school concert or a dance recital and seeming troubled at they search the audience until they spot their loved ones in the crowd and can't stop grinning.
For many writers, writing events can be scary. Considering we're known to be introverts, imagine putting ourselves out there and talking to so many people we don't know!
That's why showing up for us is so important!
Finding a familiar face in the crowd can put us at ease and celebrate with us. Plus it can also change the energy of the room. You might help break the ice with attendees and maybe even promote our work in these conversations or ask a thoughtful question during a Q&A that allows us to talk about the things that excite us.
No matter if it's a release party, a book signing, speaking on a panel, or other event, having you there can make them even more enjoyable and special.
And if you can't be there in person, let us know you're there in spirit and cheer us on from afar.
Writing an entire novel is a formidable challenge. But like any challenge, it's easier to face with friends at our side who have our back.
Having a strong support system is an invaluable resource for a writer. What we need will vary from one writer to the next, but it's just as important to have in a writer's toolkit as ink and paper.
And, sometimes, simply knowing we have loved ones rooting for us is enough.
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