Gathering of Like Minds by Nancy Gideon
Nothing jumpstarts creativity like an escape from home and family to meet with a group of likeminded writing pals. Especially when those word-wielding friends have been at your side for over thirty years, have seen you through ups and downs, through contract deadlines and those long anxious pauses between projects. Have brainstormed and pitch practiced, supported and pushed one another through rejections and dry spells. Tipped glasses and passed tissues, carpooled and burned midnight oil. Lauded those well-turned phrases and respected each other enough to tell you that you could do better . . . for the third time. My critique group is like that (seen here mugging in 2014 from left to right: Dana Corbit Nussio, Laurie “Carroll” Kuna, Patricia Lazarus, me, Loralee Lillibridge and Victoria “Craven” Schaub).
Even living on different sides of the state – sometimes in different states or even out of the country! – we’ve found a middle ground where we could meet for overnights, weekends, sometimes just online or with a phone call to bolster each other’s confidence and “Woo Hoo!” good news. Or to commiserate disappointment and sad times with hugs and a good glass of wine. Writer friends are like that. My friends are like that. I’m so lucky to be apart of this creative, wickedly funny, scrupulously honest group of creative gal pals (Photo taken this past weekend. Missing-Dana).
I can honestly say I wouldn’t be where I am with published books aplenty and new projects buzzing about in my head without these wonderful, wacky women! Here’s to my “Pick of the Litter” pals!
4 comments:
This is great, Nancy! I love this!
Thanks, Maureen!
It's definitely nice to have a group of authors to meet up with! They understand things that others don't.
You are so lucky to have such a great group of like minds.
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