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| credit: sustainablenonprofits.org |
In almost every occupation, someone teaches a newbie. In
some cases, the “someone” is ordered to do so by their boss. Many times,
someone is willing to help. I’ve found both types. In one job I had, the person
who was supposed to teach me the ropes resented it and taught me the bare minimum.
In other job, a fellow employee delighted in teaching me what I needed to know
to do my job.
My writing career has been an eye-opener. I cannot tell you
the number of mentors I’ve had. (And if I named them, I would surely leave out
someone, and I don’t want to do that.) More experienced writers shared their wisdom
and knowledge when I was the newbie. People online—like the Roses here and other
groups, yahoogroups like Marketing
For Romance Writers, Authors Network,
and more. Authors Helping Authors, an online support group started by our own
Alicia Dean, strives to promote other authors. We know how hard it is to
promote ourselves, and it’s so much easier to promote others. So we share
tweets and Facebook posts. We invite each other to guest on our blogs. We write
reviews.
Another online group I belong to is called Insecure Writer's Support Group. Since most writers are insecure, this group sums up our goal—to
support each other. We “meet” once a month (like a blog hop), posting on our
blogs then visiting and offering advice, commiseration, sympathy, and
congratulations. This great group was started by Alex J. Cavanaugh.
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| Mid-Michigan RWA's Angel Award |
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| credit: fitandawesome.com |
Sometimes, commiseration and sympathy aren’t enough. Sometimes,
we need a kick in the rear. I’ve had that kinds of support, too. Getting down
on oneself isn’t hard to do. Getting back up and starting again often takes
that swift kick. A good friend, mentor, and fellow writer can do that. We know
the trials and troubles another writer goes through.
They say what goes around comes around. When we offer
support and encouragement to others, they are there to support and encourage
us. Non-writers (especially those in the business world) have often wondered
(in amazement) why we help our competition. Is it because we’re nice people?
Well, yes. LOL But we also remember those who helped us and we’re paying it
forward.
Diane Burton combines her love of mystery, adventure,
science fiction, and romance into writing romantic fiction. She blogs here on
the 16th and 30th of each month.
