Support Systems

By: G.Ellen

Okay. You're a writer. You’ve decided that there are stories within you that no one else can tell in quite the right way. You’ve accepted that people are going to think you’re crazy by spending hours at the computer typing madly on the keyboard. However, there’s one more thing you might want to consider.

Do you have a support system?

Most people would think I mean a writing or word processing system. "Do you have a computer?" they might ask, or "Do you have one with adequate RAM? How about the size of the hard drive?" Perhaps they think you mean a typewriter–yes they do still exist–or they think you’re talking about a laptop you carry around with you and start writing on the minute an idea grabs you.

Not at all.

I’m talking about people. I’m asking–who is your support system? Is it your family? I have to say, most people who write are treated much like the scripture “...a prophet hath no honor in his own country.” You’ve read in our blogs how many of us deal with mothers who think we have a nice hobby, or friends who think ‘that’s um, nice, but what else do you do?’. What is the hardest is when our own parents don’t support us. We long so much for their support and approval and when it’s not forthcoming, it makes everyone else’s approval a little less.

I am fortunate to have a husband that supports me in every way. Take today for example: I had a situation with my car (it’s one of those embarrassing stories) and ended up staying home from work. I paged my husband so he would know where I was and he immediately called me to confirm the page. When I told him that I was staying home, the first words out of his mouth were “You’re writing, right?”

How many of you have someone like that to back you up? Do you belong to a critique group? A writing club? Anything that will help support and encourage you to write? We’ve talked about what makes you write, how up and down the life of a writer is, but you also need a support group. A base from which to push yourself along. Someone who will help and encourage when those rejection letters come, reminding you that acceptance is just around the corner.

A writer will write, regardless of encouragement or laughter. What makes it so much sweeter is the help, strength and support of friends and family. Of course, a little chocolate doesn't hurt either...