Pursuing Your Writing Career

I've wanted to be a writer since I was a kid. Backfor critique. Boy was this nervewracking! I sat
in grade school, I used to write plays and havethrough the critique and realized that my work
my little friends perform them. After childhood Iwasn't up to the quality I'd like.
went through a phase where I didn't write muchThis could have been very discouraging, but oddly
though. I was an English major in college, but Iit wasn't. Instead, I found it very constructive,
only took a couple of writing classes. Then I wentand I was newly encouraged. The group
to law school and really put writing on the backmembers were positive about the work, thought
burner. But I realized after two years in lawit showed promise, and gave me direction for
school I really missed the writing.how to develop as a writer. Then I wrote a short
I decided to do something about this. I signed upstory for critique and the group loved it. In a
for some classes in creative writing, and I alsoshort span of time, with their help, I had grown
joined an online writing workshop. It turns out thatgreatly as a writer.
joining the workshop was the most importantI love this group, and still belong two years later.
decision of my writing life.I've had such a positive experience, in fact, that
The group only met in person twice a month. WeI've joined two more groups. I love sharing my
would all upload our work to the online group ageinterests with others who share my passions. Not
so that we could read each other's stuff, thenonly has my writing improved a great deal, but I
when we came together twice a month at a localhave made new friends. I now have a social
restaurant we'd do discussion and critique of thenetwork of people who have the same interests
work.and passions that I do. It's just a great
I started writing a novel and put pieces of it upexperience all around.