Stop Writing Alone

IMG_4118Every writer wants to find their readers, but I believe you must find fellow writers first. Stop Writing Alone is here to help you find (or create) your writing community, so you can grow as a writer, and fine tune your work(s) in progress.

I started writing like nearly every other writer I know: alone, with paper and a pen, slowly graduating to a laptop sprinkling some words around the Internet. Poetry, stories, articles, essays, blog posts, guest posts, and even novel-length works all spilled out before me.

And then what?

I read my words, I re-read my words, and could not deny that they simply did not sing in the same way the words within the covers of the books on my shelves did.

I started to think it was me. I decided it was because I wasn’t a “real” writer. Then, while lurking around another writer chat on Twitter I was sure I couldn’t join, a real working writer presented the following paradigm-shifting idea to me:

Why do you call yourself an aspiring writer? If you write, you are a writer.

It was all the permission I needed. I joined a local writing group and a number of online writing groups. I told them all of the Twitter-permission I had been granted. I explained my newbie status and apologized for my naivety in all aspects of the craft. But I kept at it.

That is when the magic began to happen! Merely surrounding myself with other writers in a mutual aspiration to better our writing was enough to help my words sing.

This is what I want for you. I want you to embrace your role as a writer, and I want you to take your place within the writing community to challenge yourself, to learn how to give and take critique, to collaborate, and to share your writing with writers to polish it to its best form for your future readers.

I want you to Stop Writing Alone.

Think you might be interested? Here’s how you begin:

  1. Introduce yourself in the comments section here. Let us know what you’re writing and what you are looking for in a writing community/partnership.
  2. Follow this website.
  3. Like our Stop Writing Alone! Facebook Page or — even better — JOIN our Facebook group Stop Writing Alone with Nicole Rivera
  4. Follow me on Instagram @stopwritingalone and Twitter @nv_rivera
  5. Sharpen your pencils, stretch your fingers, and charge your laptops — in other words, get ready to write!
  6. Start listening!

Yummy Critiquing? – Stop Writing Alone

What is the purpose of critique and how can we give and receive it in order to serve up our best writing to the world? IN this week's episode, Nicole offers a metaphor for understanding the process that takes us into a place where she finds critique delicious: her kitchen. Sign up to receive Friday Night Writes emails, including the link to the monthly Writing Prompt Party! https://mailchi.mp/cc1507dc3fbd/friday-night-writes   Mentioned in this episode: Creative Ways Podcast hosted by Emma Isaacs Episode 52: Find Your Tribe https://www.emmaisaacs.co.uk/podcast-1/episode/1feb2313/find-your-tribe  Previous episodes about this topic: Episode 6: Critique Ready https://stopwritingalone.com/2019/02/28/episode-6-critique-ready/  Episode 70: The 5 Writing Group Types You Can Join or Begin Today https://stopwritingalone.com/2020/05/21/episode-70the-5-writing-group-types-you-can-join-or-begin-today/  Episode 78: Nancy Canu | Author, Editor, Critique Partner https://stopwritingalone.com/2020/07/16/episode-78-nancy-canu-author-editor-critique-partner/  Books on Writing by Walter Mosley ELEMENTS OF FICTION https://bookshop.org/a/10928/9780802147639  THIS YEAR YOU WRITE YOUR NOVEL https://bookshop.org/a/10928/9780316065498 Introduction to Friday Night Writes with Stop Writing Alone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2syi6s1pDYs&t=1s  Join the Stop Writing Alone with Nicole Rivera FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2205774733034348/ Stop Writing Alone Bookshop https://bookshop.org/shop/Stopwritingalone  NV Rivera YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpPlp1EVzQhDFPdGp5w2KoQ?view_as=subscriber  Stay connected to learn about all Stop Writing Alone stuff — get on Nicole’s email list: https://mailchi.mp/ff8df93e57dc/penpals  Buy Nicole a coffee (AKA support the podcast!) https://ko-fi.com/stopwritingalone   Places to connect to the STOP WRITING ALONE community and introduce yourself: Stop Writing Alone FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/stopwritingalone/ Join the Stop Writing Alone with Nicole Rivera FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2205774733034348/ Stop Writing Alone website: https://stopwritingalone.com/ Join the Stop Writing Alone email list: https://mailchi.mp/ff8df93e57dc/penpals  Stop Writing Alone Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/stopwritingalone/  Nicole’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/nv_rivera  The Stop Writing Alone voice number (call to introduce yourself!): (646) 907-9607    When you find a group of people who lift you up on a daily basis, it is important to share their awesome. Here are links to the women in Nicole’s Mastermind group (currently going by the name The Voxer Vixens!). Please support these women who do so much to support Nicole on a daily basis! Kim A. Flodin https://www.kelekilove.com/  Lisa Murray https://ihavedreamsdammit.com/ Claire Oldham West https://slimmingstories.podbean.com/ Johanna Jaquez-Peralta https://www.instagram.com/latina_livin_keto/ Emma Isaacs https://www.instagram.com/emmaisaacsdesign/ 
  1. Yummy Critiquing?
  2. History, Your Story, and The In-Betweens
  3. Happy Campers Club is BACK!
  4. Find your Tribe | Stop Dreaming Alone
  5. What is Clubhouse

9 thoughts on “Stop Writing Alone”

  1. I just entered this on FB. I write memoir, including personal essay pieces. I’m working on my first book entitled, Letters to my Son in Prison, Dear Lucas. I write 1-2 hours/day and am about two years into working on the craft.

    I’m not sure what I’m looking for but I think it is 1-2 fellow memoirists who would like another pair of eyes on their work. Because I want another pair on mine.

    Like

    Reply

  2. I’ve been writing family stories and general musings on my blog Stories Served Around The Table. Sometimes I think I am just blabbing into dead air. Writing is a lonely business.

    Like

    Reply

  4. Hey, My PenName is Akiré Rose, and I guess I’m a writer, and an aspiring published author.
    Im currently working on my first YA (low) Fantasy Novel. But I’ve written tons of fanfic and have lots of various unfinished ideas for books.
    I’m looking for someone(‘s) to help me along the road. Hear my ideas and make sure I don’t give up. Critique is also a plus. Friends who want to read my stuff but also will politely tell me that it’s trash.

    Like

    Reply

  5. Hey I am a budding writer and freelancer. I write stories at waatpad and also have started writing some professional writing for some research papers and contents. I am hoping to learn and create a great environment here.

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    Reply

  6. Writing has returned my once silenced voice. I seek to write honestly revealing my vulnerable self in hopes to connect with others. https://thesoulwhispersblog.com uncovers pain and pleasure with imagery, befriends the natural world, finds meaning in mundane moments and playful memories. 🌳

    Looking forward to seeing the world through the lens of other writers.

    Like

    Reply

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