Episode 008 | Who You Need in Your Writing Squad
The Rookie Writer Show - A podcast by H. Dair Brown, The Rookie Writer Show Host
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In an effort to dispel some of the myths about writing, we broke down the stages of writing in last week’s episode. We’re building on that. While you go through these stages, you don’t have to go through them alone. In fact, it’s way better for both your mental health and the quality of your work if you don’t! Following are some of the people you might find helpful in your writing squad. You are unlikely to need all of these people at every stage, but just know that they’re out there. And keep an eye out for the ones who’ve been missing for your life!
1MENTORS/TEACHERS TO HELP YOU LEARN CRAFT – Ideally, you can take a class in person, but also consider signing up for a class online. Some are more interactive than others. University and continuing studies classes will usually be highly interactive, while classes put out by the platforms below are likely to be less interactive. You might also dip your toe in the water by searching on YouTube for videos. Try searching “new writer” or use the hashtag #authortube to find a cache of writers offering their advice for free. Many authors offer classes through Teachable, but sadly this platform isn’t searchable.
* YouTube* Udemy* The Great Courses* MasterClass* CreativeLive* Many writing organizations also offer classes. See the show notes for Episode 006 on Genre for a list of organizations.
2EXPERTS TO HELP YOU RESEARCH – Librarians, people with expertise in subject area or setting, etc. Start local, but remember you can cast your net wide.
* “21 Resources…” by Ramona Rice
3 WRITING COACH/MENTOR – For a lot of us, finding this person might mean that you have to settle for a “Virtual” coach or mentor, and that’s okay. I eagerly await new podcasts episodes from Ann Kroeker and Gabriela Pereira, and many, many people look forward to season after season of Writing Excuses. I also make sure to catch all of Sarra Cannon’s YouTube Videos and classes. If you decide to hire a writing coach, go slow. As far as I know, there isn’t any accreditation organization for writing coaches. A google search will yield lots of results, but make sure to ask for 1) references and 2) a free assessment/session to give yo...