Writing makes me have feelings. Some of those feelings are good, and some of those feelings are bad. 

Can you relate? I hope so, because otherwise you're probably a space robot. Not that I am averse to space robots reading my writing journal, but some of this advice may not be applicable to you, so consider yourself forewarned. 

Writing friends make life a sparklier and more supportive place. If you do not currently have writing friends, get you some.

The Myriad Situations In Which a Writing Friend is Useful

There are times when I'm grappling with a complicated question in my story. Maybe it's a plot hole I can't pinpoint how to fix or concerns about whether a character's motivations are believable. Maybe it's just a question of how to get a character from Point A to Point B, either physically or emotionally, in a believable way. 

"But wait, Mina," you may say. "The things you just described are writing. You are a writer." 

Yeah, but. 

And this is when I lean on my writing friends. They'll be there for me to help me sort through the possibilities and together, we find a way forward!

Sometimes, especially when I am working toward an aggressive deadline or a goal like NaNoWriMo, I labor under the crushing pressure of self-induced stress.

And this is when I commiserate with my writing friends. They hug me, pat me on the head, and then sternly point to my deadlines and say, "Write more."

There are nights when, after writing some especially emotional scenes, I feel like I've been smacked several times in the face with a mop. A wet mop. Because these are not tears.

This is when I run to my writing friends and they demand to know who I killed.

In a distant, rational part of my brain, I know that at the end of the day, everything I'm doing—all the feelings, the brainstorming, the planning, the work—amounts to a messy, beautiful hobby. 

It's supposed to be fun. It's all just about doing my best, right?

But my writing friends are there to shout, "Why do we do this to ourselves?!" with me.

I mean, let me be honest: there are times when writing is simply. Not. Fun. I might want to be lazy. I might want to do something else, something that takes less energy or that gives me instant gratification.

I might just want some cheerleading and moral support! 

Whatever your struggles as a writer, writing friends are there for you so you don't have to go through it alone, and they're there to celebrate with you when you try something you've never done before, achieve a milestone, or finish a project. It feels great to celebrate on your own, but super great to celebrate while your friends flail their arms around and sing, "Yayyy!"

My Partners in Crime

There's a lot to be said for the book clubs and read-for-read exchanges here on Wattpad. You can certainly get help and support by engaging relative strangers using these options. These friendly connections can help you patch up your story and give you extremely valuable feedback to make you a better writer in the long run! 

But most of these interactions are brief, and a lot of the feedback is narrow in scope—perhaps focused on only the first few chapters of your story, or only on general things.

If you have not already, I encourage you to form deeper friendships with like-minded people who will stick with you through thick and through thin, people who have similar goals and who are at a similar place in their writing journey. 

You may be able to find such friends on Wattpad. When you meet someone in a book club whose work you admire and who gives you good feedback, maintain that connection! Read their work and strive to chat with them regularly. Offer to trade critiques or beta read for one another. Try out challenging projects together. Share your goals with one another and encourage each other along the way...and celebrate together when one of you achieves a goal!

Your writing friends may also be folks you know in real life. My two best writing friends are AnnaQuin07 and MeganDenner on Wattpad. We have been friends since college, and we formed a writing group last year, just before I began my own Wattpad adventures. 

Anna, Megan and I meet on Skype every week to talk about writing and swap critiques. It is sooooo (mostly) SUPER (sometimes) productive!

Megan had this to share when I asked her what our group has meant to her. 

"Having writing buddies helps to hold me accountable both for writing and editing my things. You both also are useful sounding boards for if I have a new idea, or need help with phrasing or can't think of a word."

Megan is a font of endless knowledge and surprisingly diverse trivia; she's always the one I go to if I have an obscure question. She sets a strong example of high personal standards for writing, all while encouraging us not to be too hard on ourselves and to strike a much-needed balance between work and play. Love you, Megan!

Anna added, "Writing buddies are emotional support, personal cheerleaders and devil's advocates. They are respected peers and unforgiving editors and gushing friends. I need them in my life to show me that not only am I not alone, but I also have people who believe in me. People who validate my endeavors and understand how much effort goes into my writing. I would have turned away from posting my writing a long time ago if I didn't have you guys supporting me. I also probably would not have given my writing the time it needed to improve, because I wouldn't have seen it as the important thing it is if I didn't know other people who pushed me and made me more excited about it."

Anna is a tireless cheerleader of both Megan and me, and all the same, she never fails to directly (but kindly) provide feedback that will make a story stronger. She is driven and competitive in an encouraging way and has definitely set the bar in our little group for using Wattpad as a place to connect with other writers and grow a following.

I learn different things from each of these wonderful women. They both offer me solutions I never would have thought of on my own and fearlessly poke holes in my characters, storylines, and actual prose during critiques to help me be the best I can be. When I'm stressed out or self-conscious, they give me the boost I need to put things into perspective and keep going.

Thanks to them, writing has become a regular part of my life, not just an annual frenzy during NaNoWriMo. They're each shown unceasing support of my writing, and it's been a privilege to lend support to their projects as well by swapping critiques or simply throwing confetti!

At the end of the day, no matter what, it's good to know I'm not alone on the journey, and after a session with these gals, I always come away feeling like I can conquer the world.

Have you found some amazing writing friends here on Wattpad or out in the...the...what was it called again?

Oh yeah, the real world?

Let me know about 'em in the comments. Even better: Tag your most supportive writing friends and drop them a heartfelt "Thank you" for being in your life! 

 ❤ ❤❤ 

Anna, Megan, I love you both. Thanks for being the best writing besties a gal could ever ask for. 

❤❤❤