As I mentioned yesterday, it’s school holidays here and that isn’t conducive to a healthy word count! It’s been really nice to just chill out with the boys, make forts out of cardboard boxes, watch movies and let them indulge in chocolate and popcorn for a while. We’ve read a bunch of books, and I’ve let the house fall into ruins. Who cares? We’re having fun!

All the kid shenanigans aside, I’ve been able to catch up on connecting with my writer friends who have become so important to me. I’m a member of a local writing group, and love each and every one of them. We meshed from the very beginning in the way that only kooky like-minded people can. 

From my writing group, I’ve made a life long friend, who is now my critique partner. We email back and forth, celebrate, commiserate, and know we each understand this writing rollercoaster better than our friends and family could fathom.There’s nothing quite like having someone there at the touch of a button when you most need it.

I’ve also begun emailing another writer whose work I’ve been a fan of for the last four years. Social media can be a wonderful thing when it comes to writers connecting. We also swap and share work and cheer each other on with various writing projects. We talked on the phone for the first time today, and it was like reconnecting with a friend I’ve known forever.

Then there’s the myriad of writer’s on Facebook who support one another, and help spruik good news, and are there for moral support. I know one of these writer’s in particular, is waiting for an answer for her first ever manuscript submission, and I can’t wait to hear the good news. In these cases, where it’s someone you’ve really connected with, it’s almost like it’s your manuscript, your level of excitement and hope is almost as great as if it were your own. 

I know I wouldn’t be as inspired, or as hopeful without these writers in my life. They get it when you’re bumbling about changing a single word, or whether your tense is right for the story, or even (and this happens a lot) that you have desperate craving for chocolate and you simply can’t write until it’s satiated.

A big thank you to Lisa, Julie, Danielle, EWG,

and also my Really Blue books posse: Nene, Paul, and Christina.