The Power of a Good Writing Partner

• Posted on May 3, 2011
• by IngridRicks
• in Articles, Uncategorized
• 2 Comments.

Recently I started trading essays with a writer I met through Scribd.

We vowed to help each other, support each other and give each other the required feedback and time necessary to ensure our work is the best it can be.

I can’t recommend it enough. Along with knowing that we have each other’s back, I know that when I send her something to read, she’s going to give me the honest feedback and critique I need to be a better writer. And I trust her feedback because her writing is so good. But something else has emerged as a result of our collaboration: Fire.

In the two weeks we’ve worked together, I’ve been more productive than I have been in the past two months. And just knowing she’s going to be reading what I write makes me work harder than if I were going it alone.

We’ve challenged each other to submit our work to the publications we dream about – and while we’re waiting for responses, we make sure we keep on creating and putting our writing out into the universe.

I’ve been in writing groups before that haven’t worked. Mainly because they’ve felt like work. But given the isolation of writing and the challenge of making it as a writer in today’s content-saturated marketplace, having a trusted writing partner, friend and support system is invaluable.

The key is finding the RIGHT writing partner. Here’s what I recommend:

• Find a writer whose work you admire. And make sure they genuinely admire your work, too.
• Find someone who is committed to your success – which means investing the time to fully review and critique your writing. And make sure you are equally committed to them and their success.
• Whoever that writer is, make sure you are willing to do whatever is necessary to pick up her up when she is down, nudge her along when she needs nudging, and encourage her to always aim HIGH. Once again, reciprocation is key.
• Finally ask yourself: Is this a person I can see myself sharing a bottle of champagne with when either of us reaches a goal? If you’ve checked the above and your answer here is “yes”, you’ve found your partner.

Tags: encouragement, secrets, success, writing, writing partner