WSG 24: Expand Your Bubble

Writer's Survival Guide 24: Expand Your Bubble

Writer.

So many labels apply to that word.

Introvert. Creative. Sensitive. Unrealistic. Starving. Wealthy. Smart...

Unless you have a writing partner, one label stands out. Independent.

Writers have to be independent. No one is forcing us to write. We do it because we want to--because we're independently motivated.

But with that independence comes a side-effect. It's true, no one can do the hard work of writing for us, but too often we drift into a bubble, a bubble of one.

When I'm in a bubble, I miss out on opportunities. I get closed into my own small world. I see things through narrow eyes. I miss the big picture. And my writing suffers for it.

Recently, I expanded my bubble. I reached out to a few writer friends who I'd become lazy with. I purchased a new book on the writing craft recommended by a good friend. I took a workshop from one of my favorite authors. I Skyped with a friend to practice pitching my book. I listened to advice from an editor. I added "Make the Effort" to my goal list.

All of these things were outside of my comfortable bubble. But they improved my writing life. The friends I reached out to strengthen me regularly. The book on writing is giving me new ideas on how to keep the middle of my book lively. The workshop refreshed my knowledge of story structure and the inner journey. The Skyping session gave me confidence to pitch my book. And the advice from the editor came in time for me to tweak my first chapters before it's sent out to the world.

Sometimes expanding our bubbles is hard. Sometimes we don't like what we hear. We wonder why we even bother. But every time I take a chance, I feel better about myself. :)

How do you expand your bubble?

Have a lovely Monday!

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