PINTEREST
BLOGLOVIN
GOODREADSI’ve known Katey from various online book and social media sites for a while now and was so pleased for her that she is now being published by HarperImpulse. Her first two short stories in the Meet Cute series are currently available in e-book format with the third, The Boy at the Bakery being published, again in e-book on 12 November. I pre-ordered all three and have read and enjoyed the first two, and am looking forward to the third.
I’m delighted to welcome Katey to the blog with this guest post, I hope you enjoy it.
People often assume writing is a lonely pursuit. They think of those of us who spend our time creatively being locked away in a writing shed or an office with an oversized desk, desperate for the peace and quiet needed to be productive.
The truth of the matter is quite different.
That’s not to say there aren’t writers quietly hiding, especially when deadlines are looming and the panic sets in. I know there are, plenty of them and I’ve taken that route myself when I’ve needed to focus.
But it’s not the only way.
I’m a member of a small writing group in Sheffield. We meet at the local library once a fortnight to share progress on our current projects and during the meetings we each produce a poem, short story or part of a longer piece of writing based around a given prompt. It’s so important to me to have a group of writing friends to share ideas with, rely on for honest feedback and celebrate each other’s successes. Groups like this are everywhere – look in your local press, ask at your library or search online to see if there are any nearby. And if the first one isn’t for you, try another! Every group has a different dynamic and works in a different way.
There are literally thousands of literature festivals, writing workshops, book signings and author events that you can support and these are another fantastic way to meet both readers and writers. I love spending time around people who share my passion for the written word, and invariably end up talking to people about books I’ve enjoyed or my current work in progress at these events. The bookish community as a whole is wonderfully welcoming and this is a great way to meet new people. And there are also events like this online – Facebook launch parties are all the rage for new releases!
Which of course brings me on to the internet. Twitter. Facebook. Forums. Blogs. Author websites. Publisher websites. Agent websites. Online writing groups. The list goes on and on! Even on a day when I’ve committed to writing a substantial amount of words I’ll always be found on the internet talking to others who are (or should be!) writing. Why? Because on the days when you feel like screaming because the words just won’t come there are writing friends online who’ll understand, and on the good days when the words readily flow they’ll be cheering you on and sharing in your success. And it’s a two way thing – I’m genuinely thrilled when one of my online author buddies starts a new novel or shares their latest cover. Wordraces are another fantastic way to make writing more sociable and to become accountable for how much you are actually getting down on paper. Search hashtags such as #1k1hr or #amwriting. Just knowing there are other people hammering away at a keyboard can make you feel part of something far bigger. I can honestly say the support from other writers online has been nothing short of incredible and I’ve made some very special friends through writing. Some I’ve met in person, others I probably never will, but we’re sharing the highs and lows of the writing process and that’s a wonderful feeling.
So if you’re a writer who’d like to find a community perhaps try one of these ways to connect with others who’ve committed to write. You’ll find there’s an army of cheerleaders all over the world waiting to will you on.
Katey Lovell is the author of The Meet Cute series. The Boy in the Bookshop, the first short story in the series was released on October 29th followed by The Boy at the Beach on November 5th. The Boy at the Bakery, the third book in the series is due for release on November 12th and available for pre-order now.
Buy Links:
Amazon UK * Amazon US * Nook * Kobo
About the Author:
Katey Lovell is fanatical about words. An avid reader, writer and poet, she once auditioned for Countdown and still tapes the show every night. Getting the conundrum before the contestants is her ultimate thrill.
She loves love and strives to write feel-good romance that’ll make you laugh and cry in equal measure.
Originally from South Wales, Katey now lives in Yorkshire with her husband and their seven year old son.
Find Katey on twitter, @katey5678,
Facebook www.facebook.com/kateylovell
and her author blog www.kateylovell.blogspot.co.uk
