Benefits of Finding a Writing Buddy

A writing buddy is something of an accountability partner -- someone to motivate and push you to reach your goals. Since writing is often a solitary pursuit, it can become difficult to continue to work through rejections and perceived failures. If you sometimes feel that you lack motivation and if you are constantly falling short of your literary goals, it might be a good idea to find a writing buddy.

What is a writing buddy?

As mentioned above, a writing buddy is your own personal accountability partner. When you set weekly, monthly and yearly goals, you share those with each other and help one another to remember what you are striving toward. Every writing partnership is different, however, so you and your writing buddy will have to determine how closely you want to work. Some writing buddies critique one another's writing while others simply share their goals.

Where can you find a writing buddy?

The possibilities are endless. Many people find their writing buddies online while others meet in a writing class or at the local bookstore. If you open your eyes and look around, you'll discover that there are plenty of people who are writers, just like you. Connect with people whose goals are similar to yours and talk about how you can help one another. Remember, this isn't a marriage and there isn't a binding contract, so feel free to play the field!

Should your writing buddy live nearby?

My writing buddy is my wife, but I know that everyone isn't that lucky. Some people prefer to have a writing buddy who lives far away so that the only communication is conducted through e-mail. Others would prefer to meet with their partners once a week or so to compare notes and give updates, which is equally fine. My advice is to determine how often you want to communicate with your writing buddy and how comfortable you are with meeting together in person.

What should you look for in a writing buddy?

There really are no set qualifications of a writing buddy, but there are a few guidelines you should try to follow. First, you must trust your writing buddy. He or she should be someone who will give an honest opinion and who will return critiqued work when promised. If you can't count on your accountability partner, the arrangement isn't going to work for very long.

Some people advise that writing buddies should be writers who work in the same or similar genres as your own work. For example, if you write short stories for children, you might be better off with a writing buddy who does the same thing. Familiarity with your genre will add that much value to your partnership. Furthermore, you and your buddy should have similar levels of experience and talent so that the assistance you give one another is equal.

How do you know if you've found a good writing buddy?

As with any partnership, you and your newfound buddy should test the compatibility of your relationship. Exchange articles or stories or novels that you're working on and carefully read through. Determine whether or not you'll enjoy reading his or her work on a weekly basis. You should also have a few conversations in which you discuss things other than writing. Two single parents, for example, would make great writing buddies because they understand each other's limitations.