Five Characters in a Writer’s Life

by Tim Suddeth @TimSuddeth

For the last few months, we’ve looked at how a writer is like a superhero. We’ve looked at how they are similar and at some of the super tools writers have at their disposal. Now, I want to look at some characters we all have in our lives. Many people have the stereotype that writers are hermits, loners who'd rather spend their day shut up in a room alone, with a coffee pot, headphones, and a blank page. Admittedly, a writer has to spend a lot of time staring at a screen, but if you ask anyone who has been writing for a long time, there are always other people involved.

Characters in a Writer’s Life

1. Mentors

As I’ve written here before, one of the best things that happened for my writing was joining a writers’ group. I’d left my job to stay with my son and felt the urge to write. But I didn’t know what that meant, if it was even possible, or where to start. Our paper had an ad for a group that met nearby. The group was Cross n Pens, that later became a chapter of Word Weavers International. And the ladies and man (singular) opened my eyes to a whole new world of writing possibilities.

One thing they did was they read my work. Making yourself vulnerable by letting others read what you’ve worked on is scary. So, you need to find someone you trust. They also gave me feedback with love. They knew I was a newbie, so they looked beyond the errors and helped dig out the good. 

2. Peers

I have to admit that sometimes a mentor can be intimidating. Some of my mentors were a couple of steps or a mile ahead of where I was. I saw the work they put into writing, and I questioned whether I have that same desire. Let’s face it, useful goals take work. Finding someone who is going through the same troubles, discouragements, or achievements is helpful. Sometimes we need someone to talk to for encouragement and guidance, or to learn about submitting articles or devotions.

There is one big blaring warning with having a peer. You are not in a competition. You need to be supportive when they do well, even if you aren’t. When they win, you win.

3. Naysayers

Don’t they just warm your heart? People who ask whether this writing thing is worth it or if you have the chops. Sometimes they ask out of love because they don’t enjoy seeing you struggle. Here, be careful how often you run crying to them after losing another contest or having another rejection. They don’t understand that these are steps all writers go through, they just see your pain. Instead, call a peer and throw a pity party. Then get back to work.

We also have naysayers who we don’t know. A critique that doesn’t come with love or rejections from editors and agents. To tell you not to let it bother you would be crazy. It hurts. But understand that even our writing heroes still get them and often tack them to their wall as a badge of honor.

4. Distractors

We all have them. People who call just to talk because you’re only writing. (They don’t realize how precious your writing time is.) The family member who complains about you taking the time to write. Or your little baby coming to the kitchen table while you’re working and, looking at you with her big eyes, “Mommy, can’t you play with me?” (ouch)

Bend down and love on that child. As someone old enough to be on the other side, we have them for an oh-so-brief of time. They drive us up a wall and we sometimes want to throw them into the back forty, but they are a gift from God who we love. Everyone struggles to find a balance of writing and family, but the struggle is worth it.

Sometimes love comes with smooches and snow angels, and sometimes with a locked door and time limits.

5. Mentees

We talked about our need for a mentor earlier, but we also need to be willing to reach back to help those behind us. It’s easy to get so caught up in our hopes and desires that we get tunnel vision and forget about others. But we do that at a cost. (Not that it always has to be about me, but . . .)

Working with a mentee helps solidify what we’ve learned as we share it with them. They also give us a new perspective. But the best gift mentees provide is the encouragement that comes from seeing them experience something for the first time. It’s easy to become jilted with writing, same old same old. But it's awesome to witness someone achieve your old milestones like getting a website, attending their first conference, or connecting with other writers.

For a writer who spends so much of their time locked in a room, it’s important to appreciate the people involved in their writing journey. When we think of superhero movies, it’s those casts of characters that give the story depth, that let us see the hero overcome obstacles, and help the hero grow.

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Five Characters in a Writer's Life from @TimSuddeth on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Tim Suddeth is a stay-at-home dad and butler for his wonderful, adult son with autism. He has written numerous blogs posts, short stories, and three novels waiting for publication. He is a frequent attendee at writers conferences, including the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference and a member of Word Weavers and ACFW. He lives near Greenville, SC where he shares a house with a bossy Shorky and three too-curious Persians. You can find him on Facebook and Twitter, as well as at www.timingreenville.com and www.openingamystery.com.