Writing is, for most people, a solitary occupation. Those who don’t writ
e often misunderstand the difficulty of capturing on the page that first shining vision, the hard work, the dedication of time and mind-space, the belief that this is service to God and not just self-indulgence, the pain of rejection, the thrill of acceptance, the small rewards and the toughness of the competition, the fear even for experienced writers that the next piece will not be good enough, and the moments of delight when the words sing from the page.
It is a joy to get together occasionally with other writers who understand these things, who support us when the going is rough and rejoice with us unselfishly when we succeed. It’s an opportunity, too, for sharing information about new openings for writing, for pooling expertise and raising our personal standards of excellence for the glory of God. In a small group, individual questions and needs can be met in detail. A writer group is a fellowship of friends who sustain each other through prayer and companionship.
National groups and conferences can provide events with top-class speakers, valuable publications, and a network of advisers. But this cannot achieve all that is possible for a group of companions who meet regularly, who know each other personally, who can track the ups and downs of each other’s pilgrimage and offer their care and prayer.
This article was excerpted from MAI’s booklet, Creating a Christian Writer Group, by Fay Sampson. It gives all kinds of tips and parameters for those hoping to form a new group or grow an existing one. You’ll find this booklet and other resources for writing and publishing are available on MAI’s website.
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