WriteCLub and WriteChain

Today's Blogging From A to Z Challenge letter is W.

WriteClub: I've been waiting excitedly for the letter W because I get to post specifically about the two things have changed me as a writer and I believe helped make me a better one. Since I found WriteClub first I'm going to start with this group. As I've written about before, I needed a major boost to my writing and my attitude toward being an author at the end of last summer. To put it in a slightly crass fashion, it was time for me to put up or shut up as a writer. I was unmotivated and therefore not producing much. I wrote nearly nothing for the entirety of the summer last year. It was depressing. One of my best friends (hi Julia!) was happily telling me all about Twitter and different aspects of it that she loved. Of course, I knew about Twitter and even had an account but it wasn't something I was in to at all. However, in a moment of desperation, I started searching hashtags about writing. I found #WriteClub. Which is @FriNightWrites if you are interested. Anyway, I was immediately intrigued by this concept of writers all over the world writing together on Friday nights. The camaraderie of a group of like minded people was incredibly appealing to me. The idea is to write in thirty minute sessions and share how much you write during that time. Sometimes people even share lines from their WIP's and that is always awesome. It was incredibly inspiring and I thought, I can do this. I should do this, darn it, I'm doing this! I told my husband about it and he thought it was funny. Then he realized I was serious about it when my writing became a priority again - on Friday nights. He was understanding, he was supportive. He was (and still is) happy for me for finding and becoming a part of something important to me. Another benefit, seeing the numbers other people put up in regard to how much they were writing really got me going. It's not a competition at all. It's just that I personally am motivated by seeing other people succeed. I hope that makes sense. Anyway, I love WriteClub! I love being a part of something so amazing!

WriteChain: I wiill say right here and now that I LOVE the WriteChain Challenge just as much as I LOVE WriteClub! There, it's said, done and in writing, out to the public. I found WriteChain through people from WriteClub posting about it in September. The challenge is to do something writing related everyday and earn a link and make a WriteChain. Write everyday? Well, that was something I had just started doing anyway. Would this challenge make a difference to me? I knew immediately that the answer was yes. Again, it was the camaraderie and the inspiration of success (for others and myself) that drew me to this challenge. I love seeing the participants WriteChains grow. I love the people (Hi Skye!) I've come to know in a writerly way through the challenge. It's the best thing to see people achieving their goals, setting new ones and having success. It's a mixture of inspiring and humbling.

So, I am so, so thankful to these two groups. I know that I am a better, much more focused writer as a result of having found them.