Goals for 2015 – Helping Hands

This is a continuation from last Monday’s blog, The Serendipity of Christmas Generosity. It took time to get to the place where I was ready to commit to writing after the events described in my previous post. But that bit of serendipity certainly affected what I’ve done this past year as well as where I’m going next year. In Part 1 of this series I shared an overview of my goals and now I am posting a discussion of why each is important to me as a writer this year.

We all need help at some point, especially when it comes to writing. Someone else may know more about a writing technique or what works and why with marketing. Sometimes we just need the encouragement of meeting with like-minded people who share the same struggles.

In my post last week regarding goals, I indicated I wanted to connect better with other writers. I already receive incredible support as a VIP member of Rave Reviews Book Club. Other members are quick to share social media updates. I’ve already received Member of the Week and PushTuesday awards as a member. And I’ve had some honest reviews from fellow members. Likewise, I tweet/retweet often about other club members, read and post reviews as well as host book blog tour stops.

But this upcoming year I want to make contact with one or more local writing groups. In short, I want to find more support among writers. Forging further contacts in person could be a fantastic help and support in addition to what I receive online. The internet has its limitations that in-person interaction provides.

As most of us know, writing is a lonely job. By definition, being an author means shutting out the distractions of the world in order to complete writing projects with regularity. However, just meeting with other people can boost a writer’s motivation to complete tough tasks like book revisions, marketing, book signings and blog tours.

In a writer’s group I might find and share tips of all kinds, critiques, writing craft instruction as well as develop more friendships that network into more contacts. Knowing more people can be helpful for marketing as well. Additionally, the exchange of ideas can boost creativity and lend guidance for any number of writing tasks.

I know of one group that is a forty-five minute drive from home during the week. They only meet once a month but I could probably make time for at least a quarterly visit. I plan to do a little further research and find out if there’s another group that’s closer and try to make contact as available. It won’t hurt to make contact see what fits, learn more about writing and see what happens.

Are you a member of a local writer’s group? What benefits do your receive from a writing group – local or online? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.

Clip art licensed from Microsoft Office.