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| Photo credit: Joris_Louwes on Flickr |
Well yes, I understand they’re your friends, they’ll say, but they’re also your competition, right?
I get why this kind of thinking happens. I mean, in most industries, everyone who is not you (or working for/with you) is your competition. Most people aren’t going to buy a Macbook and an HP laptop, or buy a Nook and a Kindle.
But it’s not like that at all amongst writers. Because here’s the great thing about publishing: every reader can buy (and read) as many books as their hearts desire. That means I can buy I’ll Give You the Sun and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and Crown of Midnight while also coveting Made You Up and Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and More Happy Than Not. I can be truly and legitimately happy for every one of my author friends who sells another book, without worrying for a second that their sale is going to somehow negatively impact my career. Because it won’t.
Granted, there are some more competitive aspects in the heart of publishing that I’m not addressing here, but by and large the writing community is ridiculously supportive and celebratory of everyone’s success and I seriously will never tire of it.
When I was a baby writer, I was terrified of jumping into the online writing community. But I’m so glad I did, because I’ve met some of the kindest, most supportive people in the writing community, and I’ve made some really wonderful friends because of it. And every day I meet new writers who continually show me the positivity and really incredible support system in place online.
If you aren’t already a part of it, and you’re a writer, I can’t recommend getting involved more. It’s a decision that literally changed my life, and I’m so grateful for it every day.
Have you gotten involved with the writing community?
Twitter-sized bites:
Writer @Ava_Jae shares her thoughts on competition and her love for the writing community. (Click to tweet)
"When I was a baby writer, I was terrified of jumping into the online writing community." (Click to tweet)
