Six Friends Every Writer Needs

Hello Writers!

by: Writerslife  |  Nov 16. 2018  | Writing

Most writers write alone. However, too much time in solitary confinement isn’t necessarily good for you on both a personal level or for your writing, either. Therefore it’s important for every writer to consider creating a ‘team’ of people around them who will not only offer emotional support but also help them improve their writing skills too.

Here are six friends that every writer could do with keeping in their crew.

A traveling buddy

Now we don’t mean this in a literal way. We mean someone who is up for coming on the crazy rollercoaster ride that is writing – strapped right in there beside you. Writing is a journey that has so many ups and downs, and it can be beyond useful to have someone who understands the fantastic highs and the gruesome lows. This person can be your confidant, support system, and encouragement when you need it most. Sharing your writing experience in this way can make all the difference when it comes to staying power, and having the motivation and dedication that’s required to get to the end of writing a book.

An old timer

Another great person to get to know is someone who has been there and done that. This is a person who understands the brutality of the publishing process, and who has submitted and been rejected by publishers and agents more times than they care to remember. Having this person can not only help you be better informed about what to expect from the publishing process, but they’ll also be a valuable source of information, recommendations, tips, and advice, which means you will have a better chance of finding success.

A friend who doesn’t care about writing

While writing can be incredibly engrossing and take up so much of your time, you also need to ensure you hold onto some fragments of life that are outside the writing process too. Here is where having a friend who doesn’t read, and who doesn’t really care about anything to do with writing can be super helpful. This is the person that will help put rejections in perspective, remind you that there is more to life than writing novels, that you have other talents, skills, passions and ways of finding fun and who’ll take you out dancing to get your mind off that ever-growing stack of rejection letters too.

The book worm

At the opposite end of the spectrum, you also need a friend who is super into reading and who devours almost any book they can get their hands on. This is the person who can give you honest feedback, who you know will be happy to read your first drafts, but who has absolutely no writing ambitions of their own so won’t get jealous if you find success, or won’t become unbearable if they find success before you do!

The newbie writer

Just as you need to have support from those who are older and wise than you, it’s also a good idea to find someone who you can share your wisdom with and support too. Not only will this remind you that you have skills and experience to offer someone else, but it will also help keep you motivated and learning ever more about the writing process -which will keep your skills sharpened too.

The big fan of your work

Finally, however indulgent it may be, and whether it’s a genuine fan or your fawning nan, having someone who thinks you are the absolute bee’s knees when it comes to writing is no bad thing. We all need some motivation and a bit of an ego boost from time to time and having this person to cheer you up and tell you that you are great (no matter how rose-tinted their spectacles may be) can be just the thing that’s needed from time to time.

These six friends are well worth gathering whatever stage of writing you are at. Do you have them in your crew? Is there anyone else you’d add? Share your comments with us here!