Not necessarily Leicester Writers’ Club, but joining a group has benefits beyond getting feedback and support for your writing.
Writing can feel like a very lonely business because writers have very little control over whether they win competitions or whether they get published. Setting your worth as a writer purely on how many pieces you get placed in competitions or get published is setting yourself up for failure. A literary agent may love your novel, but be unable to find an editor who will take it, an editor might like your poem but be unable to make it fit in the next issue of their poetry magazine, one judge may love your work but be unable to persuade other judges on the panel to agree. Rejection slips are not a judgement on your work, “not this time” really does just mean “not this time”. Over-analysing rejection slips for “hidden meanings” is a waste of time. Comparing your worst day with someone else’s best day on social media will leave you feeling lousy, and you don’t know how many rejections that writer received before getting that one acceptance.
What you do have control over is the craft that goes into what you write. You can focus on making the next piece better than the last. You can be a better writer this year than you were last year. Celebrate the wins.
Joining a writers’ club can help make the process feel less lonely. Getting good feedback from your fellow writers will give you a better steer on whether your writing is any good and whether you’re improving than bland, standard rejection slips. A club will provide a world of tips, advice and helpful solutions. Getting constructive feedback on your work will help you develop and improve as a writer. Knowing others get overlooked and collect rejection slips gives a sense of not being alone. Much better to vent to a fellow writer over a drink than vent on social media where others might misinterpret what you’re saying. Above all, it will return your focus onto the parts of the writing process you do have control over and provide the validation so you’ll see getting published or placed in competitions is a bonus.
Contributed by Emma Lee
leicesterwritersclub.com 