Writer Unboxed on Community at the Writer’s Digest Conference
By Therese Walsh | August 4, 2015 |
I just returned from a long weekend in New York City, where I joined seven other Writer Unboxed contributors—Donald Maass, Erika Robuck, Heather Webb, Dan Blank, Porter Anderson, Brunonia Barry, and Vaughn Roycroft—for a panel called Writer Unboxed, LIVE at the Writer’s Digest conference. As often happens for panelists as a courtesy, our moderator—Jessica Strawser, editor of Writer’s Digest magazine—let us know a few of the questions she’d ask ahead of time. This was the first we knew to expect:
Why is the Writer Unboxed community important to you, and what have you gotten from it over the years?
The answer should’ve been easy, right? Yet I couldn’t settle on how I’d respond, and that showed in my stumbling start when it came time to answer, live.
“What the community means to me… It’s a hard question for me to answer, honestly. It’s these people,” I said, gesturing down the table to my fellow panelists, “and it’s everyone who comes to the site on a daily basis and leaves comments, and creates legs for a conversation that has started on the blog and may continue on the Facebook page. It’s seeing people support other people in very generous and unique ways. And it has at times kept me going when I felt I might stop.”
Jessica then asked:
“You’re a novelist, and I know a lot of writers struggle with finding enough time to write and have to be really selective about what else they commit their time to. I assume for you in particular this is a huge time commitment to be so devoted to Writer Unboxed. Was there a point when you realized that maybe this was growing into something bigger than what you first envisioned, but then also realized that this was something you did find worthy of so much of your writing time?”
I said:
“I almost remember the day that I called it a community for the first time. We had started to bring on contributors to the site. You know, the site originally started as…Kathleen and I were simply writing a post every other day, and it was a good day if we had three comments, and it just sort of grew from there… Over the course of maybe five years, instead of posting every other day I was posting every other week. And (eventually) I was able to stand back, and it was almost like there had been so much momentum in the thing that I didn’t really need to be a part of it anymore. And that isn’t to say that I’m not involved, because it is like a full time job, but it had a life of its own, and an important life of its own, and I think that was the day that I realized it was a community.”
The panel moved on, and each person described their connection with Writer Unboxed. Here’s what was said:
Good-times selfie. It happened.
“I find that the importance of the community and my own involvement to be in the fact that it is not just a good-times group… We discuss (things) at great length in comments. This is one of the great strengths of the community, is that we talk and talk and exchange ideas respectfully, and we’re able to do it without calling each other names and we walk out still friends from a heated discussion at times… The reason I’m staying with Writer Unboxed and have enjoyed staying with Writer Unboxed as long as I have is because we can do serious conversation and we can get at hard issues, and debate and discuss them in an adult way.”
– Porter Anderson“For my involvement, I contribute one post a month. To be a member of this community is truly just a privilege, because you see it as a community…Just managing all of the contributors is an astounding feat. Managing the conversation on the site itself and on Facebook is an astounding feat. The fact that they’ve kept it up for so long, for nearly a decade, is an astounding feat…. You want to live up to a standard that has been set, and that’s why every month I come to my post, and it’s really kind of trying to push that boundary of understanding what would better serve this community, because it is a very rare thing.”
– Dan Blank
“I dipped my toe into a few communities, and it seemed like there was a lot of negativity out there–trolls and spam, sarcasm and snarky stuff. I stumbled upon Writer Unboxed…It kept me from quitting because over time I saw that there’s so much more to this than just getting a draft done and writing the world’s worst query letter and sending it out. One of my mentors–Cathy Yardley–always says ‘We all write alone, but none of us succeeds that way.’ I’ve come to totally understand that now, because it’s the example of others. Not so much your critique partners or your beta-readers; it’s learning from each other and sharing…These people who I had begun to admire so much were so willing to give of themselves and spend the day that their post was up and say something about what I had said. And it’s truly a conversation so often on the page, if you look at what’s going on. And you like that feeling… ‘She actually talked back to me!’ People are actually respecting what you have to say. What I realized from that is we’re all–all of us up here, even Don, even Porter–trying to get better at what we do, and we’re doing it together… That’s when I realized it’s a journey, and a journey is better with a community of people.”
– Vaughn Roycroft“I was also a lurker first, and then Therese interviewed me for Writer Unboxed and I was floored because I was a lurker. And three hours later we were still on the phone. Then I happened to go to Boston, to Grub Street’s Muse and the Marketplace, and met Therese there, and she was giving a seminar. And she off-handedly said, ‘maybe you’d like to contribute,’ and I went ‘yes!’ and it was tweeted, and so we had to do it. But I do have to say writing every day is a very solitary thing to do, and I save my reading of Writer Unboxed for the point where I get stuck and start throwing coffee cups at the wall… It’s inspirational as well as community.”
– Brunonia Barry“I was also a lurker. We only have so much time, so we have to figure out where we want to spend it. It was on the Facebook group that I found Writer Unboxed. It wasn’t until later that I really started reading the blog. I found that I could post a question–anything from a very basic craft question to something complex like ‘who made slipcovers here?’ or ‘do you have a recommendation for an agent-tracking website?’ Anything you’d want you could ask, and it wouldn’t be one answer, it would be seventy-five. And it was all very upbeat and supportive. It sucked me right in. I think I’m one of the industry’s few extroverts, and so I began chatting with all of these people and really liking all of these people, and all of a sudden I wasn’t alone.”
– Heather Webb
“For me, for writing, I think all of you need a tribe. You might have a small tribe, you might have a writing partner. But that’s what I was seeking…I go to Writer Unboxed to fill the well. So it’s when we hit the wall and when things get stale, when I can’t see my work anymore and I need to step away from it, that’s when I’ll spend two days bingeing on posts and there’s always something there that lights a fire in me.”
– Erika Robuck“I think I was originally interviewed for Writer Unboxed for my role as an agent, but the first thing I really remember was that I was promoting a book of advanced fiction craft…So I approached Therese and said, ‘hey, how about I contribute a couple of posts on the craft of fiction.’ I think I promised her five posts, so that’s five months. It’s now six years later and seventy-some posts on craft later. So why am I there as an agent? I hardly need to drum up more submissions for the agency; we get plenty of those. There are a couple of reasons why I continue these monthly posts on the advanced fiction craft…One of the reasons is that in the book publishing industry in New York, you tend to get a little bit…I’ve noticed that agents and editors…can get a little bit self-absorbed. If you go to lunch, if you’re up on the industry news–who’s where and who’s changing jobs and who’s selling what…It’s nice to be plugged in, but that’s only part of what we need to do. I think we need to understand writers and their process, and looking at it from their point of view is important too. Writer Unboxed is a tremendous window to the angst and struggles and triumphs and wisdom of the collective writers there. The other reason I’m there is that it gives me the opportunity to continue to develop my thinking about the advanced fiction craft. A lot of my book Writing 21st Century Fiction originally appeared as posts on Writer Unboxed, and currently I’m working on some new ideas for a new book called The Emotional Craft of Fiction. It’s been a great way to stay connected to the community of writers. It’s a very respectful, very thoughtful, very wise, and a very craft-focused community, and I find it very valuable to be there. It’s time out of my day–I have plenty to do–but honestly it’s the best part of my day.”
– Donald Maass
What is this strange magic we’ve made? I think of it as a sort of catalytic energy, and when it’s really working it gives as much as it takes. My husband says the Irish call it craic (some spell it crack, which is how it’s pronounced)—an exchange of positive energy in storytelling or music-making or conversation. That’s the environment I thrive in, but one I lacked for much of my life. And right there is what I didn’t say at the conference, and probably why I struggled with the question. But it’s at least part of the reason why this community is important to me and what I’ve gotten from it over the years. For me the question remains somewhat difficult to answer, because the answer might fill a book. Writer Unboxed has changed my life, and after nearly ten years I’d say it has helped to define it. And better it, make no mistake.
So thank you, WU’ers, for being here, and for bringing your great energy and conversation to the community table. As the Irish would say, you’re good craic. Write on.
Your turn. Why is a writing community important to you?
By the way, I learned at the Writer’s Digest conference that many writers out there who visit the site are still lurking. I hope you’ll read this as an invitation (to you, yes, you) to step out of the shadows and join the conversation. It doesn’t matter what you write—sci-fi, romance, literary, fantasy, women’s fiction, horror, young adult, historical—all voices are welcome.
Therese Walsh (she/her) co-founded Writer Unboxed in 2006 and is the site’s editorial director. She was the editor of WU’s only book, Author in Progress, and runs the Writer Unboxed UnConference.
Her second novel, The Moon Sisters, received starred reviews and was named one of the best books of the year by Library Journal and Book Riot.
Learn more about Therese on her website, and sign up for her newsletter to be among the first to hear about any new projects.
Thanks so much for sharing this with us Therese! I feel like I was there, and could hear each speaker’s voice. Love WU and thrilled it was featured at the conference!
Thank you, Kathryn. We missed your vibrant energy at this event, but I hope to see you in Salem in ’16, if not before. Riverboat cruise signing, take 2?
Thanks for the information I receive from WU. I love to write and sometimes writing takes me over very edifying and refreshing communiqué.
https://www.mindprocess.co.uk/newsletter/
It was fun to read all of this backstory to WU. Thanks for sharing and creating this community!
Thank you for being a part of it, Carol. You know, it isn’t something I think about very often, but I’m glad that I had the opportunity to do that this past weekend and again via this post. We really have come a long way in ten years.
I wish I could have been there. WU is the best blog on craft, books, and understanding the publishing industry. I especially like to read the various comments and get alternative or contrary thoughts about issues because it widens the view. Ericka makes a good point about “tribe.” I’m co-chair for a local authors group in my community, and it’s such a motivating element to share our experiences from writer to writer. Many thanks to all the daily bloggers and writers here who join the conversation.
Paula, at the risk of being too agreeable, I am with you. I like healthy debate in the comments. That grows not only the post’s original borders, but helps us to remember to be unboxed — to keep stretching and considering other opinions and perspectives. It’s all good, right? Feel free to disagree (ha!). And thank you so much for all of your kind words here.
This is a wonderful post to wake up to this morning. And refreshing as rain on dry turf.
( southern CA could use some too.) I look forward to Writer Unboxed and on days when I need a push, it always beckons, challenges, and encourages.This is a very special tribe. Thank you, Therese, for sharing with us.
Excellent to hear that WU is your go-to site when you need a hit of fuel, Deb; that’s fueling to all of us in turn. And as for that rain–here’s to a drenching cloud for southern CA, one that lingers for a little while.
It was SUCH a joy to be a part of this panel, and of course, this community. Thank you!
-Dan
Thank you for rearranging your schedule to be with us, Dan. It was a pleasure to finally meet you in person.
And this just came through the WU mailbox, referencing you. From Cheryl Lemine:
Write on, Dan.
Thanks for Sharing this Therese.
I have been a member of the WU for over a year now (or is it two? Can’t keep track of time these days) and what an inspiring and supportive community it has been. I have posted questions on FB that (as Heather Webb described) have resulted in so many responses (and each so unique, it is almost like polling your readers, and where else can you do that, for free?). Almost every facet of the response has been covered. And the daily posts of course, they have made me laugh and they have made me cry, but most important, they have made me think, every time. So many times I have read a post and gone and made a note to self on my WIP, for something that I need to work on. And of course there have been those moments of euphoria, when I have read a post and smiled to myself, “yes, this is already in my WIP. Ha.”. And now of course, we have this Book Dissection group that has germinated from WU, which has given me a completely new perspective about reading and leasing from other books.
So thank you (and Heather) for setting up this community (because truly that’s what it is) that has helped me grow as a writer and as a person.
Priya, I always enjoy your comments. Isn’t it rewarding to have those ‘heh, already did that’ moments? On the flip side, I love being stretched into considering something new. So many of the posts do that for me, even if I don’t comment to say so. I like receiving my daily seed of consideration here at WU, and it grows me. It really does.
I hope to join that book dissection group later this year, when things settle down.
Lastly, I’d be remiss not to mention that I think you meant *Kath* helped to establish the community. She did, and poured a lot of herself into the site, too. If there’s a sweat-and-blood stain from me on the right of the page, there’s a matching stain from Kath on the left. Had to shout out for my partner in unboxed madness.
WU: It’s a place where we can go to ask, learn, and weigh in on all types of writerly subjects, and never fear ridicule. We’re all comrades who truly understand, because we all in this writer stuff alone, but because of WU together. Basically, if I had to describe WU in a nutshell, it’s like the Cheers bar for writers. Don’t believe me? Listen to the Cheers theme song sometime and substitute “writer” at certain points in the lyrics.
And that’s the truth or as you mentioned above T, what the Irish would say is the “craic” of WU.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
“…the Cheers bar for writers.”
Hear, hear, Bernadette!
If this site had become a snark-fest, I don’t think I would have stuck around. I very much appreciate the positive, supportive mindset everyone brings to the site.
Cheers bar? Love that, Bernadette. “You want to be where you can see our troubles are all the same. We want to go where everybody knows your name.” Definitely fits. And this bar is obviously well stocked in Campari, tequila, and Guinness, right?
Lurking in the shadows of WU daily I have discovered I’m not a dabbler – I am a writer and I belong. Perhaps I’m the Quasimodo of writing, my hunched back keeps me from seeking too much attention but his story made me cry and ultimately laugh and ultimately he proudly rang the chimes.
Wila, welcome out of the shadows! It sounds like your journey was similar to Vaughn’s, taking a while for you to see that rejection and struggle didn’t mean you weren’t a writer at all. But persevering through that first wave, and the second, and… Wait, it’s an ocean? It never stops? That’s the tough truth. We are all battling this sea, but if we keep going, we’ll keep getting stronger. And the alternative is no alternative at all, right? Great to have you here. I hope to see you back.
Couldn’t stop smiling as I read this post. Wish I’d been there. :)
I so appreciate all the different perspectives and topics shared and discussed on WU, as well as the aforementioned respect and camaraderie. While I don’t always comment, I read every post. When I recently purged my blog subscriptions because they were eating up too much time, WU was never up for purging consideration. It is hands down the most valuable place on The Interwebs for writers to congregate and communicate. I value you all so much, both those who contribute and those who comment. Thanks for the energy and time you put into both the blog and the FB group.
Erin, so glad to hear WU made the cut, thanks!
I, too, read most of the posts but I don’t comment daily. If I don’t have the time to say something beyond, “so great, thanks,” then I generally say nothing. (Though I utilize that thumbs-up feature daily, and occasionally I can’t help saying “so great, thanks.”)
I recently considered making WU an all-craft blog. Aren’t you glad I came to my senses? Diversity in content is good, isn’t it? It’s the writerly equivalent of a well-balanced diet.
I would like to add my voice in praise of Writer Unboxed, and I do so as one who sees himself as belonging–you may think oddly–to the class of Diverse Voices.
That’s the name of a new offering at WU. “Diverse” refers to “diversity,” the euphemism we all use in reference to topics related to race, class, gender, etc. How does this apply to me? I’m a white male heterosexual. But I’m old as well. That’s a large part of why I’m so grateful to Writer Unboxed,
and here’s why:
I used to go to writers conferences, but at some point I began to feel foolish among the young. An atmosphere dominated by youthful interests, by faces and perspectives so radically different from mine made me self-conscious about being Father Time. So, I stopped going. I joined a small writers’ group, and stuck with it for a while. But I decided I was too impatient, too “instructional” for such a group. I came to think the members’ principal function was to buck each other up. There was nothing wrong with this, but I didn’t want bucking up. I felt some pressure to provide praise and strokes to writers that I thought needed something more, let’s say bracing.
The point is this: for an old writer whose personal attributes and style don’t lend themselves to other writing-related functions and outlets, Writer Unboxed is close to priceless. The site’s general level of clear thought and good humor establishes a special online aura or mood. It’s one in which I feel welcome to be my often prickly self. All I’m expected to do is to take others seriously. All I have to try to be is my own better angel.
As I find myself saying so often when making my daily visit: what’s not to like? Writer Unboxed is important to me, in terms of both mind and spirit.
And Therese Walsh: you better write that book! (you know which one I mean)
I do know which one you mean, Barry! I have your voice on auto-nag in the back of my head. ;-) But truly I appreciate the encouragement, thank you.
You said, “All I have to try to be is my own better angel.”
I do, too, you know? I’m not always in good spirits when I sit down to write a WU post, but I inevitably wind up happier once I’ve finished. In writing the post I’ve made myself consider the positives, what I can do better, what anyone in my situation might try, etc… In this way–and in so many others–WU has changed my life for the better.
I’m glad you’re here, Barry. You make the comments come alive every day. Keep bringing that better angel, even if the wings are a little scuffed up. Adds character.
When I started writing seriously many years ago I visited many sites and communities regularly. Guess which one (the only one) I still visit, although I tend to lurk… Yep! WU!
The reason for that is the upbeat, troll-free, helpful community. I’ve gotten some of my bestest writer friends from connections I’ve made here. I appreciate that you (Therese) step in and let people know when they’re crossing the boundary of appropriateness, but you do so in such a way that everyone still feels welcome to speak. That takes some skill!!
There’s all kinds of information for all levels of writers here, from beginner to the “having written forever.” I particularly like Porter’s posts, and have even gotten to know when it’s his turn and make sure to stop by.
I’ve recently (like, last night) realized that talking about writing and reading how-to books actually motivates me to write, so you might even see me become a little more vocal!
Thank you, Therese, but also and the others (both those that were at the conference, but also those listed in the side-bar) for continuing to make WU a welcoming place for writers to virtually congregate!
Thanks, Lara! I know you’ve been a part of the WU community for a long time. I appreciate what you’ve said here about cutting back; I do that every few months or so myself. I’m glad we made the cut!
It’s excellent to hear you’ve found a correlation between talking shop and writing productivity. I wonder if there’s an ideal in terms of balance? Have you noticed a one-way positive correlation, or is there a too-much-of-a-good-thing tipping point?
Porter may have some thoughts to add on this. I’ve just pointed him over here. I’m sure he’ll appreciate knowing he’s on your go-to list.
Hey, Lara!
Honestly, if you’ve come to know when it’s my turn, I may start checking with you to find out! (Ask Therese about the time I got so gloriously jetlagged in Europe that I posted a day early, lol.)
Seriously, thanks for being such a faithful reader, always great to have your input!
BTW, I have a piece that references our panel at WDC, too, over at The FutureBook, if you’re interested, at: https://bit.ly/1M9Yqp2
And thanks again for the kind words, totally appreciated!
-p.
On Twitter: @Porter_Anderson
I found WU through the Facebook group, and lurked for a long time, asking the odd question here and there. Questions I always received well-thought out responses to. Reading others’ questions and answers, and the thoughtful daily posts on the website, inspires and encourages me, and gives me hope. I contributed my first post recently, and was honored to do so. I hope to contribute again in the future. This community breathes life into me when I feel like I can’t take another breath, so I’m here for the long haul, and so grateful for it.
Grace, love the way you put that — community as oxygen.
I’m so glad you found WU, that you de-lurked, and that you shared your thoughts last month when I asked for pitches. That’s the story of how we found YOU. Let’s be in touch soon!
WU is incredibly important in my life. I’m a writer who is, at the moment, drowning in sippy cups, pediatrician appointments, temper tantrums, Disney movies, bills, teenage angst, simultaneous choruses of boredom and whining as well as the more joyful trappings of being the mother of 3 children with ages ranging from toddler to teenager. I am so busy (like everyone else in the world) that it’s tempting to become more a person of function than a person with something to say. Reading WU posts every day and being a member of this community reminds me that this calling is vital to who I am. It gives me to the confidence to acknowledge my limits and STILL keep pushing ahead as a writer. So much gratitude to you Therese and all of the the WU contributors. I really wish I’d gone to the WD conference! I miss all of you, but am so glad I can see your posts on here every day :)
This really resonates, Amanda, especially lately, when my life seems to be off the rails, out of control with tasks and more tasks. I remember, too, being a mother of wee ones, and the desperation I felt to be defined by something more, just for myself. Your hunger/mindset will be the reason you succeed (she says, knocking on wood).
Next conference will be in November, ’16, I believe. I hope you can join us then. Keep on keeping on!
Community is crucial and Writer Unboxed is one of the best. As a hardworking, self entertaining, penny pincher, I’ve chosen conferences based on need. An agent workshop after a lousy critique. Contests and speed dating when I thought I was ready. I wasn’t, but the advice was stellar. Not to mention craft, critique and encouragement. WU brings the information to me and I never miss a post. Thank you!
One of the most self-aware and confident comments today–love it. Thank you, Kelly, for your voice. I hope to see more of you here.
This post is just terrific! Even when life gets so busy that I only have time to read the digest email, I still feel deep regret that I’m missing out on some of the community engagement which I have loved about WU since the day I discovered it. Therese, even though I’ve been here and joined the chatter, I’m going to accept your challenge — if I may, I’m going to extend that invitation not just to those who lurk, but to those who’ve dropped the ball. Time to come back home and get some nourishment. In fact, in an effort to get more organized, thanks to some prompts from Dan Blank’s excellent “Get Read” course, I will be making a point of being here more, because I’ve determined it’s just plain old good for me to spend more time connecting and engaging with such a positive, healthy community (Vaughn, your description of WU just resonates with me). Thanks to all the stars who keep WU shining!
John, thanks for your note. Excellent idea to invite back some old friends who haven’t been around in a while. I can think of a few faces I miss seeing here. Great to hear you took so much from Dan’s course, too; I’ll be sure to point him over here.
Thank you for the kind words John!
It really was an amazing experience, Dan, and it’s still sinking in. Like today, setting time aside so I can come here to really dig in and connect with this great community — hey, this is so much fun! (Anyone who wants to learn not just how to be success at promoting yourself as an author, but how to just love the entire process and feel great about yourself in how you approach it, I highly recommend Dan’s Get Read course!)
A friend asked me why I like jogging along such a busy street. I told her that whenever I drive by a jogger, I always feel so inspired (“Get it, girl!”). So I like to run along a busy street, in the off chance that I may inspire someone else like that.
And it inspires me too. When I want to grimace, when I want to stop and walk, when I want to just give up, I think about all those other runners. I think about that mom driving by that might decide she wants to do what I’m doing, and that keeps me going.
That’s how this community makes me feel. Whether the writer is grimacing, red-faced with a stitch in their side or at the top their game, it inspires me, because that writer is out there getting it.
In the few months that I’ve followed this blog, I’ve found the right genre fit and written my first children’s book. But more importantly, I decided not to give up on writing.
You’ve all inspired me, just by being you. Thanks WU, keep being awesome.
Love this metaphor, Celeste! And even more that you’ve been inspired to run, inspired to finish, inspired to tie your shoelaces even tighter for the next race. Literary Gatorade for you, right here. Cheers.
T, your reference (or Sean’s) to craic reminded me of Van Morrison’s Coney Island. More recited poem than song, it’s always been very evocative for me (gotta love his accent!). In it, Van says:
“On and on, over the hill and the craic is good
Heading towards Coney Island…
And all the time going to Coney Island I’m thinking,
Wouldn’t it be great if it was like this all the time?”
It’s so much about being in the moment, and it’s not about being at Coney Island so much as the joy of life in getting there. So, I suppose, if you substitute Coney Island with writing success, it’s a perfect description of WU.
I feel so honored and blessed, and sometimes humbled, and always grateful to be a part of WU. Thank you so much for including me this past weekend. It was not only enlightening and inspiring, it was joyful. And the craic was good…
You always leave the best comments, V, and I love your musical references. It was a banner day for WU when you decided to de-lurk and join the conversation. I’ll never forget our first interactions, which I’m pretty sure involved my post on F-bombs. Because that’s a fun way to get to know someone, right? Thank you for giving so much of yourself to WU. It wouldn’t be the same without you.
Adding to the craic here. Vaughn, I’m grateful you de-lurked, and for the warm welcome you gave me here when you pointed me to the WU Facebook group. Your kind, supportive presence was an important part of what turned Writer Unboxed from a writing forum I visited to a second online home. You are a torch that burns strong in WU, and from one writer who was alone and wandering in the dark, thank you for sharing your light.
I’m already two cups into the cooking sherry, so I’m a little weepy, but I must say it: you guys are all bitchin’. [Note: “bitchin'”: catchall term used by 7th-grade boys to denote admiration; cognate of “marvelous,” “first-rate” and “unequaled.”]
Not having moved much from 7th grade, I think we should probably all go camping.
Tom, this really made me laugh! I just love your way with words.
John, thanks. I think I’ve said it before (and Lao Tzu or Jerry Lewis said it first), it’s more like words have their way with me. But I’m willing.
I’m imagining the tales told around that campfire and wondering ‘when do we leave?’ Write on, to one of my favorite WU wordsmiths.
I came to WU in a round-about way. I had heard of the blog from as far back as 2008 or so, but I didn’t read blogs at that point. One of my friends recommended Therese’s first book to me and I read it on the plane going over to Rome. I was in awe of her writing and the story, so much so that I made a point of going to see The Mouth of Truth while I was there. I happen to own a keris, which was an important part of her story, so when I got back home I decided to write her a fan letter, to which she graciously responded, and we became friends on Facebook.
When she started the WU group on FB, I was one of the first ones there and eventually became a member of the Mod Squad. It was at that point I started regularly reading the blog, though I remained a behind the scenes lurker.
I can’t begin to express how much this community has come to mean to me. Being a writer in Dallas is a lonely prospect as it is, and with two children so actively involved in dance, I can rarely break free to go to writerly events and speak to like-minded people. (Hence the reason I don’t shut up when I can!)
To say I have found a tribe here is putting it mildly; you have all become an extension of my family, especially after the overwhelming responses to my two (so far) posts. I wore my heart on my sleeve in the last one for sure, and everyone exposed theirs in return.
That sense of belonging is something I lacked for the first, well, forty years of my life!
Vaughn’s the big brother I never had and I have stayed active on the Mod Squad even after taking on a more administrative role simply because I would miss the daily interaction with him, Heather and Valerie too much to leave!
And T, well, you have said many times now that I’ve kept you sane, but to that I would say “right back at you.” In making me a partner of sorts on the blog, you have not only empowered me to break out of my shell and take on a more visible leadership role, but given me something useful and meaningful to do other than simply carting my kids back and forth to something THEY are passionate about. It keeps me in touch with what I love even on the days the words don’t flow. This leads to more and better writing, so my persistence (*cough* bullheadedness) in pestering you to hand over more to me is NOT entirely selfless. Seriously! One day you will trust me on that, my dear! <3
Kim, I had forgotten the beginnings — your reading LWML, the trip to Rome, the keris, the Mouth of Truth. So interesting to hear it again now.
I’m going to need a sling if you continue to twist my arm, you know. ;-) I appreciate your help–and your willingness to help. But more than that, I’m glad WU inspires you and has helped you to become a stronger writer.
*Kim goes searching for a sling.* ;-)
I just wanted to say what a pleasure it was to have the opportunity to help facilitate this discussion on Saturday–and how nice it is to see it recapped here! Thanks for sharing it with the WU community.
Thank you again, Jessica, for facilitating the experience for us. It was a real milestone and honor for WU to be invited to the WD conference, and I know we all truly enjoyed it–and many of us were secretly nervous, myself included.
Three cheers for de-lurking yourself!
Thanks so much for sharing, Therese—I needed this.
“Thanks, I needed this,” is one of the reasons I continue to return to WU. Every time I arrive I discover exactly what I was looking for—the answers arriving most often before I knew there was a question. This kind of synchronicity makes an artist relax, trust and remain steadfast in their journey.
I thoroughly enjoy my solitary writing time, but my stamina for those long stretches is fueled by two things: Kundalini yoga and Writer Unboxed.
Three cheers for the craic!!!
It’s the best, reading comments that say a writer heard exactly what they needed to hear that day on WU — and I mean for anyone who authored the post. That tells me we are indeed on the right track. Love hearing WU is a primary fuel for you, too, Jocasa. Three cheers indeed!
How intimidating, that lovely profile pic of those Writers in a Row at The Conference! How dare I count myself amongst them?! All it took was to start reading the post—honest, unabashed—to
reaffirm what every WU post does: welcome with open arms and hearts all of us into the community.
Thank you thank you thank you.
You are welcome, Gail! I mentioned it in a comment above, but a few of us were nervous about the panel, and I was one of those people. I thought I was over that, but the lights were bright and the stage was big and the banner reminded me where we were. The Writer’s Digest conference. But then it was just us, and it was a room full of questing writers, and it was all good.
Though I am very new to Writer Unboxed I am not new to writing and to crafting my fiction and I appreciate the encouragement and information that is always part of this great site. Thanks for welcoming me to your community. I wish I had been able to meet you all in person.
It’s nice to meet you here, Beth. Welcome to WU!
Your turn. Why is a writing community important to you?
WU is important to me because they represent one of the many facets of who I am – most importantly, “Janice, the writer”.
Too often in our “regular” lives others see us as “friend, co-worker, partner, wife, husband, Mom, dad, employee, daughter, son, the one who smiles a lot etc.”, and it can be difficult to have conversations with them about what we are working on in our writing lives, or how we are working on it. WU understands the process, and actually can benefit our lives by being that sounding board when others cannot.
Dang it – WU saves marriages, relationships, and our employment!!!!!!!!
*climbs down soapbox to sit once again in front of the chapter that is literally killing her to write…DVT’s be damned…*
Janice, this made me laugh, thanks! I appreciate your enthusiasm and wish you all the best with that ctwtky (chapter that wants to kill you). Never turn your back on it; it can’t be trusted.
Hey, Teri! I sure wish I could have been there and perhaps contributed to the panel. Thanks to you and good luck, I’ve been a contributor with WU since almost the beginning; it all started with an interview, which probably came out of my presence in the Internet writing community on my blog, Flogging the Quill.
I want to thank you for your wisdom and graciousness and continuing support. As writers we are loners much of the time, and I’ve been one of those since dirt was invented–introversion will do that to you. But, thanks to you, I’m part of a worldwide community of writers who share and lend a helping word now and then. I’ve discovered that’s a lot of what I’m about, a love for helping others deal with the challenges and frustrations and joys of being writers. I suspect I could go to many cities in the world and would find there a writer who knows you, knows WU, and knows me, too. I continue to be one lucky fellow. My thanks go out to everyone who is a member of the WU community–and especially to those who contribute through their comments.
It would’ve been great to have you there, Ray!
Yes, it was your presence on Flogging the Quill that caught our attention, and we interviewed you for WU before inviting you aboard as a contributor. Back then, there weren’t so many of us out there. Seems like another era.
Thanks for being with us for as long as you have been, and for being adaptable when we needed to experiment. You’re a pretty cool dude.
After lurking for 18 months, it honestly feels a little surreal to be posting here. I check the posts every day at work when the coworker who shares my office steps out, and it always feels somehow dangerous, letting work-life and my real-life (read: writing-life) mix. I’m normally a very quiet, compliant person, so this small unprofessional act – this assertion of my *true* self – feels more significant than it probably actually is. Nevertheless, all of you here – posters and commenters alike – feel like co-conspirators in this small, daily rebellion. Maybe that accounts for the closeness I feel with the community here. :)
I approve of your dangerous rebellion, Aaron, and I will be sending you your ‘Former Lurker’ bumper sticker asap. ;-) Seriously, though, so glad to hear your voice, and I hope you continue to live dangerously so we see more of you here. Write on!
Jan O’Hara introduced me to WU and I’ve enjoyed it ever since. When I first began writing it was almost in secret but I gradually came to see that I would never progress as a writer if I did not get constructive feedback. I joined a couple of writers groups and found two super critique partners. I’ve attended several workshops, including those by Donald Maass and James Scott Bell, and learn something new everyday from WU. Thanks for being there!
Isn’t Jan the best? And I wholeheartedly agree with you about needing feedback to improve as a writer; that’s one of my core tips whenever asks me “what’s your best advice?” Thanks for being with us, Victoria!
Thank you, Therese, for your lovely open reflection on the nature of community. Both your post, and the wonderful observations from contributors at the conference and members here today capture my layered feelings about Writer Unboxed.
Thanks to Google, I discovered Writer Unboxed in April 2013 at a time when I was first beginning to reach out after a long period of self-imposed writing exile. I recall stumbling upon a post – “Burning the Manuscripts” by Henriette Lazaridis Power. The post and the discussion afterward spoke to me. Here, I thought, is a writer talking about craft, about fear, about perseverance … about all those things I think about constantly but say so rarely, even to other writers.
I didn’t lurk that day, feeling I had something to say (it happens). But in the weeks and months that followed, I found myself returning, silently. Watching … listening … learning.
I’m not sure exactly when I first began to think of it as my writing community, my tribe. But the sentiment crystallized with the announcement of the UnConference. As soon as I saw that particular post, I knew I had to be there. And what followed was one of my most cherished memories to date of being a writer.
I do still have moments when I retreat, returning to exile. To be fair, it is during those periods when I am closest to my writing and most productive. But those times don’t feel so lonely now. For I know that when I am ready, a community awaits, the Writer Unboxed community, where I can embrace old friends, make new ones, and talk with them about all the facets of writing, and of being a writer.
That is what Writer Unboxed has given me. Thank you for that.
Seeing the photo of everyone on the panel–and reading your words–made me long to be back in Salem, where I met most of you. As someone who usually lurks on the blog–and who’s pretty introverted in person, too–I don’t know any of you well. But I want you to know that the Salem unconference and the blog have been very powerful in my writing and my life. I’m a single mom and I’ve been working at home this year: there are days when your voices are the only reasonable ones I hear. ;) Seriously, though, the information on this blog (and at the conference) has been invaluable, but the palpable feeling of friendship and comeraderie has been just as important.
May I unlurk myself here and chime in from way over in Bali, Indonesia, where I’ve lived my whole live. Writing is a solitary endeavor, but especially more so when one is so geographically isolated. Bali does host one of the world’s best literary festivals (The Ubud Readers and Writers Festival) that I have participated in, but that is mostly a week-long blip of big name authors and then is gone.
I stumbled across Writer’s Unboxed less than a year ago, and I have chewed my way through a trove of past articles. Growing up on Bali in an era of no libraries and no bookstores and no TV (still no libraries, a few bookstores that specialize in Asiana and NYT bestseller airplane novels), I read for my entertainment, most of these novels being beach-read discards that tourists left behind. I started writing stories at an early age as a natural consequence of all that reading.
When Amazon started selling books (imagine! a bookstore at last that I could browse! – although the shipping costs doubled the price), I promptly ordered books on the craft of fiction writing. On my shelf to my right – I can glance over and see them – are two books I devoured, “Writing the Breakout Novel” (Donald Maas) and “Plot and Structure” (James Scott Bell.) Lo and behold, here these masters were at WU providing advice and insight for free! (Along with so many other contributors, knitting WU into this vibrant community.)
So I extend my warm and tropical thank-you to the founders, contributors and commentators. (As others have said, I find the comments section to an interesting, thought-provoking, essential part of the post as a whole.)
Love you all, you make my day!
Deb
I’ve been unplugged for a while and it’s so lovely to return home to this post. Therese and Kathy, thank you to this supportive community. We do write alone, but I’ve been twice blessed to find my tribe — here and over on the Blueboards created by Verla Kay. It’s amazing how one person’s passion can build something so wonderful. Thank you.
I’ve been a “lurker” for several years, but always read every WU post that arrives in my in-box. Why? Because every post has something relevant and positive to say, and I enjoy being part of the wonderful community of people for whom books are to be cherished, and who are so generous in sharing their knowledge and advice. Thank you.
This panel was a refreshing get-away in the middle of the conference (or was it a ‘coming home’?). It was a glimpse of the industry as we want it to be: collaborative, encouraging, challenging. Writers ‘on the outside’ don’t often get that view of publishing. It’s so encouraging, so thanks!
Lovely to meet you all!
I’m also guilty of lurking, but I enjoy WU posts so much I often save them up in my inbox just so I can binge-read with a cup of coffee on Saturday mornings. Thanks so much for all you do!
Love, love, love the writing crack (craic)! You can be my WU dealer any day, T. Thrilled to see NYC Unboxed!! xo
I came across Writer Unboxed about three years ago (I think) when I randomly googled “best writing blogs” and WU was the top result. One click, one post read, and the rest is history. I joined the FB group about a week later, back when there were only 600 members, and started commenting on questions and posts almost immediately. (No one’s ever accused me of being a shrinking violet, okay?)
The first person I really met at WU was Vaughn. He welcomed me to the group — and I was shocked and thrilled when people joined in with the welcoming! — and replied to a couple of my comments, and generally made me feel at home. I was so in awe of Vaughn. I remember thinking that I wanted to be just like him when I grew up. If I can make a confession, I had a small fangirl moment when I met Vaughn in person last November — even more so than when meeting all the other brilliant, inspiring, open-hearted, knowledgeable, amazing, friendly (Can I fit some more adjectives in here? You bet I can!), huggable, kind, awe-inspiring writers of WU.
I have so many dear friends I met through WU — and I was delighted to be able to meet so many of them in Salem — and so many mentors and people to look up to. Writer Unboxed has made me a better writer and a better person. I can’t even imagine my life without this community. So when Therese spoke to me about being a contributor (second confession time) I wasn’t sure whether I was going to faint or star babbling nonsense. Having the opportunity to be a contributor for WU is Heaven. Terrifying, monthly anxiety-inducing Heaven. I am so honoured to be one of WU’s regular contributors, just as I’m honoured to be part of the WU community.
Thank you to Therese and Kath for everything you did to create WU, and all of the “you” you poured into it. Thank you to Vaughn for being welcoming and inspiring. Thank you to all the contributors, participants, lurkers, commentors, and friends who have taught me so much about writing and about myself. The thing that makes WU great is everyone.
I can’t believe I’m just seeing this comment. I was showing a visiting friend what I’d been up to in NYC, and stumbled down to find such kind words.
Jo, you’ve been a bigger-than-life, generous, encouraging presence since that first day (can it have only been three years? feels like I’ve known you for decades). I’m so grateful to know you, and I consider our meeting IRL one of the highlights of the UnCon. If for nothing else than for your world-famous hugs, and for seeing that you really a superstar in person. Your light made all of Salem shine for a week in November, just as it continues to do online. WU wouldn’t be the same without you! I’m grateful. *Hugs!*