If you’re like me—and many writers—you might sometimes feel like you’re writing in a vacuum. Sure, we might love to envision ourselves huddled away in a cabin in the woods penning the next big bestseller, but the reality is that we need to connect with a greater writing community if we want to build a career. The key is to build a writing network, a safe haven that will feed your creativity and support your writing.
Your writing network is more than just a critique group or a set of writer friends, it encompasses your entire writing life. It includes both fellow writers, who understand what this kooky writing life is all about, and non-writers, who may not get the whole writing thing but can support you in other ways. By casting a wide net, you’ll assemble a network that feeds all aspects of your creative career.
There are four components that you need in your writing network. I like to use the acronym CASA to make sure that all areas of the writing life are present and accounted for. If you don’t already know this about me, my family is Brazilian and Portuguese is my first language. Incidentally, CASA means home in Portuguese, which is significant because your writing network is like a home for your writing soul. CASA represents the four elements of a complete writing community:
- C is for Critique
- A is for Accountability
- S is for Support
- A is for Advice
Keep in mind, it’s very rare to have one group or person fulfill all four elements. Most writers have different people or groups representing each CASA component. Sometimes a person can fulfill more than one CASA role, but it’s extremely rare to find a one-stop-shop that represents every piece of the CASA puzzle. Let’s take a closer look at each of these components and what they entail.
C is for Critique
Critique is at the center of many writing programs and workshops, including MFAs. This is because one of the best ways to improve our craft and build our skills is to get feedback from fellow writers and readers. Oftentimes we can’t quite tell what’s working in our writing and it’s good to get an outside opinion.
Now, don’t get me wrong, getting feedback on your work is an important part of the writing process, but I think many writers get sucked into critique too early. You need to develop your writing chops first, before you start getting other people’s input.
I once had a writing teacher who said: “Workshops are like driving a van with fourteen backseat drivers.” And there’s something to that. You can get conflicting feedback from different people and sometimes it’s hard to identify the best way forward.
This is why I always recommend that writers wait until they have established their own voice and developed their taste before diving into critique. This way, you can weigh out the input you receive and determine for yourself what to implement and what to let go.
In general, I recommend that writers start adding critique to their writing repertoire once they have begun working on a longer project in earnest (or have completed and revised at least three shorter pieces). At this point in their writing journey, writers have already figured out who they are and what kind of writing they want to focus on, so feedback can be more purposeful. If you haven’t already reached this point in your development as a writer, I would hold off on critique, at least for now.
A is for Accountability
Social accountability is one of the most powerful motivational tools. When we announce our goals publicly, we are more likely to stick to them. We don’t want to look like a slacker by not doing the work, and we don’t want to lose face with our friends if we don’t reach our goals. This “positive peer pressure” makes us knuckle down and it challenges us to do what we need to do to make our goals a reality.
One way to use accountability as part of your writing community is to do what I call “writing in tandem.” This is where writers get together—either in person or via video chat—and write quietly side-by-side.
I used to do this when I first graduated from the MFA program with some of my writing friends. We called ourselves the “Write Nite Ladies” and we’d get together once a week at a coffee shop to write. Our meetups would start with a quick check-in where we’d catch up briefly with each other, then we’d pull out our laptops and start writing. After an hour or so, we’d wrap things up with a little chit-chat and head home.
I know several writers who do the same thing over video chat. They get together on a call and after a short check-in everyone mutes themselves and starts writing. At the end of a one-hour sprint, the writers regroup and share a little about what they worked on during the writing session.
The reason writing in tandem is so effective is that it’s that much harder to check social media or hop on YouTube when you’re working alongside a bunch of other writers. There’s a collective energy that happens when you write in tandem that makes it much more likely for you to focus and stay on task. Whether you choose to write in tandem virtually or in person, this is a great way to build community and use positive peer pressure to keep yourself motivated.
S is for Support
Support for your writing career comes in many forms and from many different sources. It’s tempting to think of support as only coming from fellow writers, but our non-writers friends and family members can be just as crucial sources of support as our writerly “birds of a feather.” For example, a friend or family member might agree to sit with your kids, so you have a few hours to write. Or your spouse might volunteer to do the laundry or cook some meals, so you have some extra writing time. These are all examples of support that non-writers can offer.
At the same time, your writing colleagues can offer support that regular, non-writers may not be able to give. For example, only a writer really understands what it’s like to get your seventy-eighth rejection letter from an agent. And only a writer can truly appreciate how monumental a milestone it is to finish a rough draft. Fellow writers can help you celebrate your wins and can offer a shoulder to lean on when things don’t go well. Yes, our non-writer friends and family might mean well, but they will never have that same level of appreciation for the hard work and dedication that writing requires.
This is why it’s important to have a broad support network, one that includes both writers and non-writers. The writers will lend support around the things that directly relate to your writing career, while non-writers can offer that all-important support that grants you the time and flexibility to get those words on the page. As writers, we need both sources of support in our lives.
A is for Advice
Finally, it’s critical for us to have trusted advisors and mentors who can help us hone our craft and cultivate our careers. While critique is great, and it is certainly valuable to get feedback on your writing from your peers, sometimes you need to bring in an expert. This is where the A for advice comes into play.
When choosing your advisors and mentors, make sure you go to someone who is truly an expert in the area where you need help. There are a lot of sources of information on the internet, and not all of them are of the same high caliber. It’s important to vet your sources of advice carefully. This is why at DIY MFA, we are very deliberate with the resources we share with our audience, and we only recommend people who we know and whose work we trust.
DIY MFA Members HUB
I know I said earlier that it’s very rare for one person or resource to fulfill all four of the CASA elements, but here at DIY MFA, we have one resource that does just that. This is the DIY MFA Members HUB, and it’s a membership community where you can connect with me, my team, and other members of the DIY MFA community.
This community covers all four CASA elements. Our Critique Sessions offer opportunities for you to receive feedback on your work. The Writing Clinics not only give you a chance to write in tandem and focus on specific aspects of the craft, but sharing next steps at the end of the call is a great source of social accountability. The Discussion Calls are an excellent way to get your writing questions answered and also get support from fellow members of the community. Plus, throughout all the resources—on-demand webinars and mini-courses, summit interview archive, and our monthly calls—you have me as the primary source of advice and instruction.
If you’re interested in joining this awesome community, click the link below and you’ll get a more detailed overview of what the HUB is all about. You can also sign up right on that page.
Click here for more information about the HUB.
Until next time, keep writing and keep being awesome!
P.S. For more info on Gabriela Pereira, the founder and instigator of DIY MFA, check out her profile page.
