Your Writing life: Tribe, Team, Community
By Norma J Hill (aka Pen And Paper Mama) ©2020

In our last series for writers, on “Self Exploration,” you had the opportunity to work through a set of nine checklists/questionaires to discover who you are as a writer. If you missed that series, it starts here.

In this new series, we will explore “Your Writing Life” : your writing and related activities in the past, your present writing and related activities (personal and with your writing community), and your future hopes and plans. This series has five sections:

Tribe, Team, Community
Your Writing Pursuits
Your Writing Related Activities
Plotter or Pantser; Introvert or Team Player
Ideas for Writing From Your Own Life

At the end of each post in the series, there is a link to a downloadable and printable PDF copy on which you can write your responses. Put them in a binder or Duotang-type folder (you can continue to add to your series #1 binder if you wish). Then, periodically along your writing journey, return to your answers, read what you noted previously, and add new thoughts and experiences. Through this process, you’ll end up with a wonderful personal record of your writer’s journey.

1. Your Writing Tribe, Team, Community

Do you already have a writing tribe, team, and/or community? Describe them below. If you participate in more than one writing group or activity, name each one and list how you take part. You can also add to your list later as you build your team.

Local or online writers’ group(s):

Feedback/critique group(s):

Writing course group(s):

Accountability partner(s):

Alpha reader; Beta readers:

Any writing coach, editor, designer, agent, traditional publisher, and/or other writing professional(s) you have worked with:

Writing events you have attended (conferences, retreats, workshops, etc.) where you’ve learned more about writing and have networked with other writers:

Social media and/or blog followers and fans:

Putting your notes into practice:

If you don’t yet have a writing tribe, team, or community, look at the list above. Choose groups you think you might like to be involved in. Do some research (in this blog and/or on other writing blogs; in Facebook and other social media writers’ groups/pages; in books about writing and publishing).

Then list team members you think would be most helpful at this point in your writing journey. Find at least one group, person, and/or activity, and sign up right now. Start building your writing team!

PDF LINK (Your Writing Life: Tribe, Team, Community). Download, print, fill in your responses, and place them in your binder or Duotang.