Actual Writers

For those of you suffering from burnout, bummed-out, or descending into that strange pit of loneliness writers are so prone to, let me recommend something: Hanging out with other writers.

I don't mean online. Shut the computer off and walk away. Go find other writers, real ones, and talk to them. Like, a face-to-face conversation. Remember those?

There are tons of writers' groups. So what if there's a fee? Whatever it is, it's likely cheaper than the therapy bills. So you need to get off your chair and make time to go to the meetings? What did you have lined up that was better, anyway? Staring at your work in progress? Obsessively checking your email? Waiting for the phone to ring?

It's summer. Go out! Quit blogging! Put your pasty writerly face in the sunshine! Quit emailing and looping and flaming and obsessing about dumb online arguments! Venture out into the real world, and find some other writers - turns out, you're actually not alone.

My loved ones are very supportive, but they don't get it the way other writers do. I can talk to another writer about agents, rejections, revisions, and my dream of getting published, and I don't get that kind-but-baffled look in response. I get nods, and those magic words, "Me too." I get insight and input and advice. From people who have been there, and people who aren't there yet - ahead of me on the journey or behind me on the journey, it doesn't matter. Just people who get it. Writers.

Besides advice, writers are good for book recommendations. I have to make a trip to the bookstore just to pick up the stuff we talked about. So you won't see me online every day while the sun is out.

I've got summer reading to do, after all.

Abby