Leaning Into The Good

LEANING INTO THE GOOD

Last week, I talked about not accepting the bad when it comes to being shut out or excluded from the writing community as a whole (piece found here). My experience was not the best, and it was, I feel, based very much on being a disabled and chronically ill author, as well as someone who wasn't getting their start in being an author right in the times of social media. Yes, I am an old, and today is actually my 21st Authorversary, which is wild to me to be honest. I feel like the 20th was only a few months ago, but given what happened shortly after that milestone, I can somewhat understand why my brain is stuck thinking we're either at the end of 2025 still, or only just at the start of 2026!

With that behind me, I wanted to focus on the fact that with social media, and with the ability to connect with both disabled and chronically ill indie and trad authors a whole lot easier, that it's okay to lean into that fact. I don't mean that you should only talk to and/or make community with other authors who are disabled and/or chronically ill, and should exclude all others. I just want to be clear there. You have to find the space and community that is best for you, and that's okay.

We all know that writing can be isolated. In the lockdowns, things like livestreams, at least on Authortube, skyrocketed, and with it came this idea that we don't have to stay locked in our offices and not see or talk with other writers. We could, easily in some cases, create and foster that community, and I love that. I love it for writers from all walks of life because having that community around you is such an important and validating thing. It's the people who will join your inner circle and make sure you know you can ask and talk about all things writer and author, whether that be those in the query trenches or those who are planning to go indie. I love that, it's just freaking amazing!

Like I said in last week's post, I didn't have that when I was debuting in 2005. I was one disabled and chronically ill writer, who just wanted to have at least one book to my name if nothing else. Had things like KDP and ebooks and the like not opened up the indie path even more, I doubt I would have been in the position to publish a second book, never mind the rest! I had support from friends sure, but they were not looking to publish, and that, for me at the time, made the whole thing both scary and exhilarating all at the same time.

So if you are now thinking about wanting to find that community, then yes, go for it! There is no shame in needing to find your people, and you don't have to click with everyone, but I urge you to keep trying, to keep putting yourself out there. Sometimes you are the one finding the people, and other times, they find you, and it's always a beautiful and amazing thing!

I found a lot of my community during the lockdowns, and even some before that. I feel like the connection we all have has opened us all up to bringing others in as well. Writing doesn't have to be an isolated thing, you're allowed to embrace the people in the writing and author space that you click with, even if you write wildly different genres and ages. That's the beauty of both writing and the community as a whole, we vibe with who we vibe and ain't nothing wrong with that!

Put yourself out there, and keep going, you got this! 

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