W is for Writing Community

Yesterday, I came across this great post about the importance and impact of the online writing community to all writers, aspiring and published. I wanted to add my two cents in because I feel that without the irreplaceable support group found in the online writing community, I probably wouldn't have kept writing.

Most people view the world of social networking as the ultimate time suck. While this may be true for some (I am, admittedly, a Twitter addict), social networking can also prove to be useful in forging friendships and comrades-in-writing-arms that can help to make even the most difficult parts of the writing journey shine.



Take Twitter, for example. It is one of the largest social networking sites available today. It's a place where people can go to "hang out" and meet new people. The environment and culture of Twitter is such that saying hello to a perfect stranger who may share common interests is not only acceptable, but encouraged.



Often times, we know no real details about these people who we talk to on a semi-daily basis. We may or may not know their real names, their occupation, their religious views, or where they're located. All we know is that by some twist of fate, they were brought into our lives by words squished into 140 character limits.



One of the reasons I had started a Twitter account was to use it as an extension of my blog. The blog stood still for some time, but my Twitter life suddenly opened up a whole new avenue for me. I started with very few "friends" and was total #fail with learning how to navigate around the site. I had made my first new friend within the first few weeks (someone who I am still lucky enough to call my friend to this day) and she became not only my go-to girl about the Twitter lingo, but being a new user herself, also learned to navigate this new world of possible connections with me. We've since met and cultivated relationships that I can honestly consider some of the best friendships I've ever made.

The writing community was one that I had become a part of without even really realizing it. I had followed and befriended some people who were aspiring like me, but it wasn't until I had participated in WriteOnCon that things really took a turn. I met so many who can identify with the struggles I was going through, who can understand my reluctance in sharing my blood, sweat and tears work, and who can offer their own experiences in the same journey that I was going through.

A kinship was formed and at times, came when most needed. It astounds me the amount of support and general camaraderie that comes from the writing community. I don't know how many times I've tweeted at certain points of my writing process where I was stuck, frustrated, and needing that little push to finish whatever goal I had set for myself at that particular time. The frawesomesauce virtual friends have yet to fail me in picking me back up and giving me that push, that encouragement, that little shake of the virtual pompoms that have made all the difference in the decision to keep doing what I love: writing.



In what ways has the online writing community impacted your lives?