CSG Part One: A Companion for the Journey

Up until 2011, my writing life was sporadic at best. There were times when I would get a burst of energy and inspiration, like last summer when I was on vacation in Oregon and then again in Nevada. But the dream of finishing my novel seemed illusive and undefined. It was a very real hope, but it wasn't easy to put that hope into action.

It still isn't necessarily easy, but in this new year I've discovered a game plan that's been working well so far. Now, before I delve deeper into this topic and share my ideas with you, I want to make a couple of notes:

1. God's timing is not our timing.
2. I'm not yet published.
   

The first note is just a reminder that as much as I'm glad to be on a faster track now (which I also wished for when I was younger), I'm just as glad that I had the time before to just ruminate on ideas, grow up a little, and gain new experiences before diving in to finish my manuscript. Some things can't be rushed! The second note is a reminder that the tips I'm about to share are the tips of an aspiring author--not a published author looking back on success. So, I'm learning along with all of you!

And finally--to the point. ;) I'm going to do a three post series about this game plan I'm implementing. You can just think of it as CSG. Nope, it's not "Constructive Solid Geometry," as Dictionary.com might tell you. This CSG stands for:

Companion
Schedule
Goal

Today we'll talk about the C: Companion.

A few months after I started my personal blog (Seasons of Humility) I met an amazing friend through a comment she left on one of my posts. Ever since then (last summer) she has been a huge encouragement to me--someone who prays for me and my family, sets an inspirational and humble example for me, and someone who is a joy just to talk to through the Internet and letters.

Eventually I asked her if she wouldn't mind reading what I had written for my manuscript and sharing her thoughts with me. She said yes! And then several weeks ago when I came back to school, I started e-mailing her three times a week with new scenes. Her support, feedback, and encouragement have been invaluable to me!

In the past (and even now, to some extent), the idea of a "critique partner" held little appeal. I didn't want someone to read the pages of the story of my heart and tell me all the things that were wrong with them. To be honest, if I chose to share my work with anyone, I wanted them to tell me all the good things about it and leave out the negative aspects.

But having a companion is different than having a critique partner, in my opinion (perhaps in name only, but "companion" does sound much nicer, doesn't it?). I trust my companion. I value her opinion, and I enjoy discussing things with her. She gently points out the errors and shares her thoughts on what she, as a reader, is thinking as the story unfolds.

I'm not at the editing/polishing stage. I'm not ready for line edits or nit-picking. I know that day will come, and perhaps that stage will be more appealing then. ;) But for now, I just need to finish the manuscript. And having a companion such as I have, with patience and a heart of gold, is a gift I'm overwhelmingly grateful for. She is such a wonderful friend!

I highly recommend having a companion to journey with you as you finish your manuscript. But note that the companion you choose must be trustworthy, honest, kind, and internally motivated to be a part of the journey. If you're going to be sharing your work on a regular basis with this person, that person will need to have a heart for the story, as well.

It's a tall order, for sure. But if you can find a companion or two to keep you company, even if only by reading your work on occasion and sharing their thoughts when they can, I think your motivation for writing will be much improved. The more your companion is invested in the story, the more you become invested, as well. Enthusiasm is definitely catching!

Do you have a companion now who is encouraging you as you work on your current manuscript, whether you're published or unpublished? Have you been a companion for someone else? Do you have some inspirational companion stories you can share with us?

(Pictures are from the Pixar website.)