Keeping It in the Family: How to Involve Family Members in Your Writing Journey

by Julie Lavender @JLavenderWrites

“I got a idea,” my six-year-old grandson said. “Let’s put the gingerbread guys in the tree and take a picture.”

Beniah knows nothing about social media, but he has observed my photo ops with Ginger and Geoff, the stuffed gingerbread dolls I use for book marketing. He delights in joining my creativity. He likes to pretend I’m Photographer Julie and he’s Mr. Photography Assistant. 

For some odd reason unbeknownst to me, we talk in high-pitched, squeaky voices when we assume these roles. 

“This will be a good shot,” Benaiah squeaked after squeezing Ginger and Geoff on a pine branch. After taking twelve pictures of the same pose—maybe one of the dolls blinked?—Benaiah moved them to another branch and snapped away again. 

I played along and let him take as many pictures as he wanted. I mean, after all, I have twenty-three pictures of Ginger and Geoff in blackberry vines and next to blueberry bushes from a previous Grandmommy Camp visit to a local you-pick produce field.

And guess what? Just a couple of days after Benaiah went home to his parents, I realized I could use a photo he took of Ginger and Geoff in a tree to celebrate Tree Climbing Week for my daily social media posts. (Who knew there was a Tree Climbing Week?)

Some people say, “Writing is a lonely job.” But it doesn’t have to be. We can find unique ways to involve family members in our writing journey. Here are some of my favorite tips.

10 Tips to Involve Your Family in Your Writing Journey 

1. Brainstorm ideas together. 

2. Ask for editorial assistance. (You may want to first share with the family member the Word Weavers International method of critiquing—begin with positive affirmation, share constructive criticism, end with positive affirmation). 

3. Discuss social media posts and involve family members in videos or photo ops.

4. Ask a family member to create social media memes. 

5. Visit a library or bookstore together and search for and peruse comparative titles. 

6. Discuss fellow authors, especially in your preferred genre, with your spouse or other family member to keep them in the know about your writer friend-group.

7. Invite a family member to help you address and stamp mail-outs. 

8. Travel to the post office together to mail books and flyers. Get a coffee, soda, or donut treat afterward.

9. Invite a family member to help you write interview questions to share with a podcaster or radio or television host.

10. Encourage family members to pray often for your writing journey. 

Writing doesn’t have to be a lonely activity when we make the effort to involve our spouse, children, or six-year-old grandchild who loves taking photos—lots of them. Do you have other ways to include family members in your professional writing life? Share them in the comment section—I’d love to incorporate your suggestions. 

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Keeping It in the Family: How to Involve Family Members in Your Writing Journey from @JLavenderWrites on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Julie Lavender is the co-author with her husband of three recently-published books from Penguin Random House: Raising Good Sons, Jumbo Bible Word Search, and Children’s Advent Stories for Bedtime. She and her husband also penned eighteen educational books for Mitchell Lane Publishers that release soon, with contracts pending for four more six-book series in the next ten months. Julie is very grateful for the writing opportunities God’s sent her way and thanks Him often for His blessings.