Mollie McNeil’s A-Z of Publishing a First Book: C IS FOR COMMUNITY
Writing can be solitary and too much isolation for anyone is, well, lonely. Fortunately, online classes are abundant, as are in-person opportunities at colleges, libraries, and art centers. Through a class, workshop or retreat, you can find writing buddies and critique partners. Mingle at bookstore readings, open mics, Moth events, and book festivals. You don’t need an MFA to find a stimulating writing community and fellow book enthusiasts.
I have gotten so much unbridled joy from small group interactions that I ended up leading writing circles where we filled notebooks in small fifteen-minute bursts and shared our raw thoughts and impressions on the spot. I love the permission of freewriting. I love writing without trying to impress and without paying attention to grammar. I like rambling off in all directions, until I feel really strongly about a topic. That’s when I drill down to the truth of a particular topic, and it generally leads to gold. Later, I’ll whip out my highlighter and search for favorite bits, fresh perspectives and quirky turns of phrase to work into a story down the road.
Gatherings of writers who share their work with a spirit of generosity, kindness and intelligence can lead to valuable resources. I’ve found everything from beginning accountability partners to long term free editors. I’ve received excellent referrals to conferences, retreats and publishing pros. Some have even turned into lifelong friends. My writing community has consoled me through long months of revision and inspired me when I have felt stuck. My writing mentors and pals have given me insight, laughter and the comforting knowledge that I am not the craziest lady on the block.
Any of your book club friends or workout buddies have an itch to write? Suggest meeting up in a café and then crack open Natalie Goldberg’s classic Writing Down the Bones or The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad for prompts.
—
Photo by Andrea Scher
MOLLIE MCNEIL studied art history at the University of California, Berkeley, and English literature at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She has published seven short stories. The Curve of Light is her debut novel. Mollie lives, writes, swims, and makes art in the San Francisco Bay Area, where her family has lived for six generations. Learn more on Facebook.com/molliemcneil, Mollie McNeil | LinkedIn or at molliemcneil.com
THE CURVE OF LIGHT
For fans of Kate Quinn and Kristin Hannah, a historical novel about a bold young woman who flees her rural home for San Francisco in 1919, bent on unearthing a guarded family secret—and who discovers what it means to be an artist along the way.
It’s 1919, and Arden Winslow’s family is thick with secrets—the kind that are kept from a young lady of a certain station. After her high-society birthday party goes off the rails, Arden, a newly minted adult and aspiring photographer, flees Marin County for San Francisco. She’s determined to find her own way in a world free of her family’s repressive expectations—and committed to learning the truth about the mysterious death of her mother, the accomplished artist India Winslow.
In San Francisco, Arden throws herself into city life—bonding with characters in a boarding house, sneaking her way into job at a posh art gallery, and stumbling into first love with a fellow photographer—all the while getting closer to unearthing the truth about her mother. Spanning the bustling streets of San Francisco, dramatic waterfalls of Yosemite, and ancient forests of Marin, The Curve of Light is a coming-of-age novel of adventure and activism with a clarion message: Home is where the artist’s heart is.
PREORDER HERE
Category: How To and Tips
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
