The life of a writer can often become isolated, lonely and very quiet. We
spend so much time scribbling in notebooks, typing on our computers, and pondering
the next twist in our story, that we forget about the world around us. Unless it
can offer something for the work in progress, of course! I find it difficult to
relate to my husband and friends when I am immersed in a writing project. They don’t
want to hear the nuances of my job, and I don’t want them to know the plot
until I am ready for them to read the story.
That is when my writer friends step in. I am fortunate to have a couple
of friends that live close by, so we can meet up for a drink and a chat when convenient,
and we can work through the challenges, bemoan our lack of sales, share advice
and tips, and generally lift each other up when we feel low. I have a similar network
on social media. These are friends that I don’t see regularly, but we share
each other’s books online, we share relevant news, and we support each other. Sometimes
all you need is someone experiencing the same challenges, so that you know you
are not alone. And for this I am very grateful to my writer friends.