When we think of writers, what do we picture? For many of us we see a cluttered desk in a home office, papers strewn every which way while a person sits staring at a computer screen with a permanent frown. The coffee on the desk has long gone cold, and this book isn’t writing itself. If you’re in my age bracket, you might actually just picture Johnny Depp from Secret Window.
(Side Note: If I had a lakeside cabin with a cleaning service that I could run away to, I don’t think I’d be murdering anybody. That’s a sweet set up, mon frere.)
The point is, when we think of the writing life, we picture a life of solitude, torment, and frequently alcoholism. I largely blame this on Ernest Hemingway, but I’m liable to blame just about any literary complaint on “Papa,” which is a topic for another post.
Truthfully, writing CAN be a lonesome process. Many of us do squirrel away in some private space to eke out rough drafts we actively dislike, until we’re exhausted and doubt-riddled. But the trick to not having a psychotic break that leads to growing corn from the corpses of your enemies is this:
COMMUNITY
You gotta find your people, people! And luckily, for all of us, it’s never been easier to find some sort of writing space to combat the newly coined Secret Window Syndrome.
Online Spaces
For many, the easiest and most accessible option for writing community is some sort of virtual space. Twitter is probably the biggest one to come to mind. It’s great for fleeting interactions and developing vaguely para-social connections with other writers. Spend enough time tweeting authentically and you’ll eventually develop mutuals (folks you follow who follow you back) you interact with on a regular basis. This is a topical, often enjoyable sort of community where you all see each other living your various writing lives, as if through a window. Other social media platforms also have their writing spaces: Facebook groups, BookTok, Instagram, and Tumblr. If there’s a social media platform, writers are on it. You just have to find them. 
Another type of writing community is the Discord Server. If you’ve not heard of Discord it’s sort of like a chatroom, with dedicated “servers” which house various “channels” that are all devoted to some different topic or theme. Personally this was my first active writing a community. I’d met a bunch of fanfic writers through tumblr, and one of them started a Discord for us. It’s a space that offers places to chit chat about life, current events, writing, fandom, books, etc., It’s sort of like a virtual coffee shop. You hang out with whoever shows up at any given time. I’m still a member of that Discord, though I don’t post very frequently anymore. There are ALL KINDS of writing Discords out there, and they aren’t hard to find. If this sounds like something you’re into, I guarantee there’s a Discord for your kind of writing.
There’s also smaller, more personal online communities. For instance, I’ve joined a little community of horror writers who get together on Zoom once a week to write. We’re all incredibly introverted and awkward, so the socializing part is often one-sided (the delightful host tries his damnedest to get us talking, but we mostly nod and thumbs up while muted). But it’s a really nice productivity session that’s putting names to faces I’ve seen across social media. I look forward to it each week. This sort of community will require some time and social media presence to suss out. Kind of a right time and place thing. But the point is that these communities exist! Find them!
Increasingly, large writing organizations are growing their online spaces to foster more community. I think this is a response to the pandemic, which makes total sense and honestly should have happened sooner. For example, SFWA has added weekly online programming to their organization, tied to the Nebulas. Willamette Writers shifted to an online format VERY quickly during the onset of the pandemic, and have since committed to offering dedicated online spaces as well as hybrid versions of chapter meetings. I think these sort of virtual talks/panels and spaces are only going to grow in the years to come.
IRL Spaces
(IRL = In Real Life, just in case you weren’t sure.)
I was working at my public library when I discovered my first writing community. I was looking at the list of events happening that night, and there was a group called “Willamette Writers” meeting in the basement event rooms. My shift ended just in time for the meeting to start, so I headed down and checked it out.
There are an estimated million-bajillion opportunites to build/join an in-person writing community. Many regions have local organizations similar to Willamette Writers, though the scope of their progamming might not be quite as broad. There’s also genre specific organizations, like Horror Writers Association (HWA) and Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA). And most of these organizations host yearly conferences or reoccurring meetings. If you’re able, go to these events. Meet writers in your area and share contact info. Keep in touch.
I’ll admit, I’m not great about attending in-person events, even before the pandemic. They’re usually on a week night, cutting into my personal at-home time, which I prize. They also don’t always cover a subject I’m interested in hearing/learning about (sometimes they do though!). And at the time, I was terrified about talking about my writing in a face-to-face setting. 
But guess what? By going to meetings and conferences I got better at talking to strangers about my writing. I’m not like, a rockstar at it or anything — it’s still very much a growth opportunity (see 2023 Goals) — but I’m comfortable enough to mention it in passing. And that can lead to connecting to the writers hiding right under your nose!
Other opportunities for in-person writing communities include things like Meet Ups, where a group decides to meet in some public space and posts an open invitation online, or National Novel Writing Month. Yes, both of these start online, but they also both tend to coalesce into something local and in-person. Maybe your local Indie Bookstore hosts an open mic, or an author talk. Or some small, indie zine starts circulating in your neighborhood. Reach out to these spaces — You’ll find writers there, guaranteed!
If you’re reading all this and thinking, “B., none of this exists in my town!” I have some bad/good news for you. In these situations, I adhere to Toni Morrison’s sage wisdom: if there’s a thing you want to see in the world, but can’t find, you are duty-bound to create it.
Yes, I’m paraphrasing, because her actual quote is specifically about writing books, but I think the idea applies to all kinds of endeavors. If you want something badly, feel like there’s a need in your community, a gap to be filled… odds are you aren’t alone in that. And you could be the one to change it.
But, Why?
All Johnny Depp jokes aside, the benefits of finding a community (or several) are… numerous. Since becoming a more present and active member of my various communities I’ve experienced the following:
- Increased output. Scheduled writing times with other writers creates accountability and butt-in-chair time.
- Networking. Publishing is a small world. Meeting and befriending people active in writing communities could lead to other, more momentous introductions, broader promotion of your successes, and partnerships for things like book signings.
- Craft growth. My time with Willamette Writers directly led to forming my current critique group. This group has helped me improve my craft considerably, both from their feedback and from reading and thinking critically about their work.
- Friendships. That critique group has also turned into a strange (affectionate), multi-generational sisterhood. We are all women from different backgrounds, with different experiences and writing styles. But we get along SO WELL. Our hour together is the highlight of my week. There’s also the friends I’ve made beyond my critique group, smiling faces I see on Saturday mornings during our Coffee meetings. There’s a camaraderie in these groups that’s… comforting?
- Volunteer opportunities. Joining a community is great, but giving back is even better! Whether it’s hosting a zoom meeting once a week or reading the slush pile and doing copy edits for a magazine, it feels good to help. I’m a firm believer that you get what you give, and the more you’re involved and engaged, the more you’ll get out of it. I’m also a firm believer in extending your hand behind you while you climb. Volunteering, helping your writing community grow and succeeed is a vital part of the process.
Ultimately, writing careers flourish when you can build a reputation for being an all-around good person who helps others. Not just because you’ll be thought of fondly when opportunities arise, but also because you’re liable to be happier and actively improving your writing.
Are There Downsides?
Honestly? This depends on you. There’s going to be communities you try to join that maybe aren’t a great fit, or that take more than they give. Deciding on your own boundaries and keeping them is important here, because it’s really easy to over-commit when you’re passionate about the work and like the people you’re working with.
For me, if my commitments to the community are slowing down my writing, or negatively impacting my mental health, then I need to reconsider my involvement. Does that mean scaling back my volunteerism, or leaving the community all together? Depends. I’ve yet to abandon a community completely, but I’ve definitely stopped interacting as much in an online space that skewed to toxicity. I’ve cut back my volunteer hours when the hiking season hit and I needed to get outdoors for my physical and mental health.
When my involvement begins to feel like an obligation instead of an opportunity, it’s time to take a look at what I’m doing and why. And maybe it’s time to make a few changes.
Ultimately it’s up to you which communities (and how many) you decide to join. To me, the best communities are the ones that where you can receive support, feedback, and connections, while offering the same to the other members.
That's All, Folks!
The above are just some examples and ideas for various writing communities. There are more than I’ve listed here, more than I know exist, I’m sure. It’s up to you to get out of your Writer Cavern and make writing friends. Colleagues.
Prevent a double homicide – join a writing community today!
BZ
P.S. This entire monster of a post hinges on you having seen and REMEMBERING Secret Window, because I am a very specific kind of nerd. Sorry about it.
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