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Yes, YOU can be a writing leader: Editor's Notes #305 January 22, 2020

Hello, You teach [or write] best what you need to learn. —Richard Bach In this issue: 1. Yes, YOU can be a writing leader 2. Tickled my funny bone 3. Interesting Web site 4. Writing prompt 1. Yes, YOU can be a writing leader Regardless of where you are on your writing journey, trembling just at the thought of being serious about writing or proud of your publishing credits or anywhere in between; regardless of where you fit on the introvert-extrovert continuum, in anguish in a crowd or in-your-face available, you CAN be a writing leader. Let me give you a metaphor to show what I mean. One way to think of those who write seriously is in terms of hunger. How hungry are you to write or to publish? Whether you are simply browsing the cupboards for a snack or crawling on hands and knees to get to a few crumbs of nourishment, you are a hungry writer. The solution for hungry people is food. Hungry people can find a farmer, a storekeeper, a chef, or the guy who knows where the food is. You are a person who knows where some of the food is. You may not know where the particular morsel you crave is, but you do know where some food is. That makes you a go-to guy (or more generally, person). When you help anyone else find some literary food, you are a writing leader. All you need is an openness to learning more yourself, and a willingness to spread good news to other hungry writers. Read a good book on writing? Tell other writers. Discovered an effective way to organize your writing space? Tell other writers. Found a good online writing resource? Tell other writers. Where to find other writers? Join a group that already exists. That could be a local writers’ group or a larger regional or national group. Ask your local librarian who else is writing in your community. Reach out. Three quick examples from my own life: As a newly minted serious writer, I found a local group through our community newspaper and attended for a few months. It did not offer the tough critique I was looking for, so I found two other writers who also wanted that tough critique, and we met together for a couple of years before circumstances broke us up. We still encourage each other from time to time. Around the same time, I joined our provincial writers’ association. When the regional director came to my community, I met with her and pumped as much information out of her as I could. A couple months later, she contacted me, told me she was giving up her position as regional director and asked if I’d step in. I was still green as a writer, but I did know how to help people connect, so I agreed and got even closer to the movers and shakers in our local publishing community. A little later, I created Editor’s Notes, sharing with a wider audience as I was learning. Some of you are my writing leaders when you pass on information here that I can share with others. So you see, anyone can be a writing leader. YOU can be a writing leader. You may even be one now without knowing it. Embrace the opportunity to be the one who tells or shows the other hungry writers where to find food. And if you ever cook up something good on your own, share it with pride and joy. PS. I’m still a hungry writer, so do pass on any literary food that you find. =========== 2.Tickled my funny bone Please register for the Vacation Bible School picnic so we will have enough food on the clipboard in the fellowship hall. =========== 3. Interesting Web site You don’t need all the resources on writing groups provided for the students at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, but I wish I’d at least seen these before I started writing groups. https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/writing-groups/writing-group-starter-kit// =========== 4. Writing prompt Make a list of at least five things you learned in 2019 about writing. Choose one of those things, and then write a paragraph or two (or more) about what you learned or how you learned it or why what you learned is important. If you are comfortable doing so, please share your learning with me. =========== Join Writer's Helper Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WritersHelperEditor Follow me on Twitter @AudreytheEditor Link on LinkedIn https://ca.linkedin.com/in/audreyowen (Email me first so I know how you know me.) =========== If you know a writer who would appreciate receiving Editor's Notes, forward this issue. If someone has passed this on to you, you can get your own free subscription by signing up at https://www.writershelper.com/newsletter.html

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