Writers Supporting Writers

Almost nothing warms my heart more than being part of a COMMUNITY of writers. Writers who support and help each other - that's a beautiful thing.

I see it in my creative writing students each semester - the warm respect and support they display as they timidly open themselves up and share their writing. I see it in brand-new online friends who are fellow writers - the lovely encouragements we give each other, never even having met. And most recently, today, I see it in perfect strangers who are also writers. In this case, the very special online company, Ninth Moon - Gifts and Tools to Inspire.

No, this isn't an advertisement, and I'm getting nothing from Ninth Moon for mentioning their site. But in the spirit of sharing information and supporting MY fellow writers (readers of this blog), I wanted to let you know about this company.

As you might know, I'm working hard on revisions for a potential agent. Well, she wants to see the entire revised manuscript - in hard copy form! So, I needed a professional-looking, sturdy manuscript box (nesting boxes, so that one fits inside another, to serve as a SASE). Last week, I found these boxes online, at Ninth Moon, and received them today.

But I didn't just receive the boxes. I received a LOVELY hand-written note, from writer to writer. The note presumed (rightly) that I was an author, buying the boxes in order to send my material "out there" to a potential editor/agent. The note then encouraged me and wished me success. You should've seen the smile on my face, reading such inspiring words from a perfect stranger.

But that's what I mean about "community." Writers understand each other. They speak the same language. They recognize in each other the ups, downs, heartaches, and exhilaration of what we do. Even writers who've never met face-to-face can form a bond of sorts because of their love for the craft of stringing words together on a page. How cool is that?!?!?! (<--not eloquent or poetic, but I think it's spot-on, lol). I'm so proud of writers who put aside any competitive tendencies and choose to support one another. Because, goodness knows, this is a solitary, sometimes lonely occupation. And we need all the support we can get. ;-)