On February 22, 2020, a group of writers showed up to Walden Park Clubhouse to learn more about developing their craft, to have their work critiqued and to gain encouragement from a community of people who all have one thing in common– they love to write.
The day began with coffee and muffins.
As people started to fill the room, I could tell that a few of them were nervous. It is always nerve-wracking to walk into a new environment; to step into the unknown. But I could tell that these souls were brave! In fact, they had already completed the hardest step– they showed up! I was proud of them already.
We opened with a brief introduction of my writing journey and then the people at each table shared their own personal journey within their group. I absolutely love this part. If talking to a group of strangers about why you write sounds vulnerable and scary, it is! But there is also so much freedom in being surrounded by people who get it; people who understand the desire to write your heart on a page or to have your name on a book. These are your people and they will love you even if you cry!
And then we went deeper.
Most writers have questions about the Where, the How and the When– for example: Where should I pitch my book? How do I get an agent? When should I submit my manuscript? And we briefly addressed those questions, but our focus for the morning was on the Why, the What and the Who. Can you answer these questions?
Why are you writing?
What is your manuscript / blog post / article about?
Who is your audience?
By figuring out the answer to these three questions, you are able to focus on the genre specific details of your work. If your ‘why’ is strong, your ‘what’ is high quality, and your ‘who’ is targeted, the other questions will be more easily answered. We finished the hour thinking about our ‘what’ and practiced a few writing prompts to get the juices flowing.
And then we broke.
Into break-out sessions, that is. Karen Sargent, author of Waiting for Butterflies, taught half of the group How to Write for Chicken Soup for the Soul. Chelsea Tornetto, local teacher and published author, shared her tips on Writing for Children in Today’s Market. Wowza– I learned a lot! These ladies had a tremendous amount of knowledge to share. We all walked away with a few ‘next steps’ on the journey.
During lunch, we began author head shots.
This is not something I had ever seen done before, but it makes sense, right? Anyone who is writing, will eventually need a professional image for social media, a blog, business cards, book jacket, or magazine article. I remember being completely unprepared, the first time that I was asked to send a head shot. And because I didn’t have one, I took the best backyard selfie I could manage. However, I wanted more for my new writer friends and Kaitie Goodson, of K.M. Goodson Photography stepped up to make it happen. This surprise service was an extra special treat!
After lunch, we learned about the importance of critiques.
Then we practiced giving and receiving them, with the utmost handle and care. Having your manuscript critiqued (especially for the first time), can feel like handing your newborn baby to a complete stranger. However, if the goal is to improve your work, then peer critiques are an important next step, and these groups rocked it!
We got social.
Our last session of the day, focused on the importance of connecting with your audience through social media. We discussed the difference between blogging and micro-blogging, listing both pros and cons of each. Then we jazzed up our own author bios– you know, to go with those new fancy head-shots that we had taken over lunch:) No matter what their next step is, they will be prepared!
And then we said good-bye.
Parting is such sweet sorrow. When you’ve found your people, it’s hard to let them go:) But, after a full day of teaching, learning, and networking, we were all ready to get home to our families and start putting our new skills into practice.
If you are a writer, don’t go at it alone. Join us at the Show Me Writer’s Conference in Cape Girardeau, Missouri on Saturday October 17th, 2020. We would love to connect with you!
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