Making a Literary Life Friday: Here's to the Community

More than ever this week, with participation in promotion of Patry Francis' Liar's Diary paperback release, in anticipation of Grub Street's 2008 Muse and the Marketplace, and simply in launching and continuing conversations with each other -- including all of you -- we are reminded of the width and wonder of the writers' community. Hallie Ephron, whom we have interviewed and whose conversation we will share soon, noted that nobody writes solely for the money. More is nice, but the writer's life is a choice about how one spends one's time and with whom one spends time, and on both those counts, we are all blessed. How true!

Lisa

Hollywood Agent? My new writer friend here in California dropped by with a flyer for a Q & A with an esteemed Hollywood script agent who's speaking Wednesday. "You've got to come. I've met her before. She's brilliant." I hope it works out. It will be tight for me to pull it off. Doesn't there often seem to be a writer right around the corner, a friend, an inspiration you haven't met yet? Sometimes I think we're secret agents on a dangerous mission: we're following a dream.

Amy

Amy is out of town, but we all know how much she appreciates and gives back to our writing community!

Hannah
I've been thinking, of late, that this writers community has contributed to a new level of fearlessness in my behavior out in the world at large. You reinforce that it is possible to be caring and honest, serious and frivolous, all at the same time and I have no time for people who offer less than that any longer. Maybe I'm just getting old (gasp), but there are too many things I want to do and too many good people, even if I haven't met them face-to-face, whom I'd rather hang out with any day!

Lynne

I've always thought true generosity comes, not from the things you are handed or the money you're given, but from the emotional support you offer and are offered. Maintaining a blog, at first blush, seemed like a fun endeavor for us, what we didn't realize was the power of the online writing community we would be joining. We are humbled by the generosity of spirit offered to Patry this week; we're honored to have been a part of it.

As is fitting this post, I think I can speak for all of us at the Writers' Group when I extend a heartfelt thanks to all our readers and commenters. We are grateful for the support you offer us each week.