How I Joined The Writing Group: My 6-Year Anniversary

How did I find the writing group? Six years ago I went to the library and asked if they knew of a writing group. The woman told me a group met at the library but she didn't know whether they were open to new members or not. She took my name and number and said she would pass it along to them.

It must have been a couple of months before I received the phone call. It threw me off balance since so much time had passed. I became flustered and suddenly unsure as to whether I wanted to take this leap but deep down I knew if I put it off I would never go. I went to the next meeting.

As Nancy said, I wrote from the prompt "What I remember is..." What I don't remember is what I wrote about. LOL! Okay, I found the notebook with the sticky note still intact "Sunday, 1-3 Library". The first page is dated June 6/04 yet it doesn't say "What I remember is..." Hmmm... What I wrote was very personal, about my life, a previoius abusive marriage, being pregnant and alone, raising my daughter alone for two years and my belief that a month long bout of mono when I was 17 resulted in my current illness.

"Who'd have thought those things would have led me to the illness I have today? The chronic pain and fatigue I feel? The depression and loneliness? The inability to work resulting in a constant financial struggle. I'm not happy with the way my life turned out..." I wrote.

I didn't hesitate to read aloud what I had written. I have to admit I was stunned by Nancy's reading. The curse words that came out of that woman's mouth! LOL! I can only believe that was meant to make me feel at ease. The real message being don't hold back when you write, and what is said in the group stays in the group.

I then shared something I had written previously. Again, it was very personal. I wrote an article about my abusive first marriage. In fact, I wrote about an actual "fight", the last fight. The article is entitled "If I Had A Bullet" because that is what my EX said to me during that altercation. "If I had a bullet I'd shoot you!"

I am a shy person by nature and surprised myself when I was able to share these personal stories with people I had known a mere half hour. But I am a strong believer that my experiences may help other people. Keeping them to myself helps no one, especially me. And so it is with all our writing. As I have learned from the writing group, we must read our work aloud, we must share our writing and not keep it sequestered away never to be read again. Why do we write if not for people to read?

There is a second prompt dated June 6/04: Ten years from now where will I be? Ouch! I'm already six years into that ten years and nowhere near being financially secure, ready to travel, or sitting on a beach surrounded by palm trees. However,

"I want to hear my daughters' cheerful voices as they share with me their lives - of school, of friends, of boyfriends, of hope and dreams... I wish with all my heart that ten years from now that the walls my eleven-year-old has built around her will have been removed and instead of being her enemy I can be her friend."

I am happy to say that my life is exactly like that with my daughters. Many say that writing down your expectations will help make them happen. In this case they did. Thank you God. And heck, I still have four more years to make the rest of those hopes and dreams to come true. If I miss a meeting sometime in the next four years may it be because I am sitting on a beach in Hawaii.

So, six years ago I joined the writing group that was later named the Headwaters Writers' Guild (HWG for short). I have been the secretary for most of those years planning the meeting dates, sending out the reminder emails, and taking calls from prospective members. The writing group has become my life. I arrange my activities around the writing group. Apart from kids' soccer, I believe I have missed only one meeting in six years. When I had a bad cold I sat at a table by myself away from the group. Yes, I love the group that much. I have made some wonderful, wonderful friends. We have laughed together and we have cried together.

I have met some esteemed authors. I have attended workshops and seminars. I have learned a great deal about writing, editing and publishing. I look back at my writing from high school and cringe. I cannot even read it. Oh, how much I have learned and grown as a writer. This because of a decision I made six years ago. This because of the Headwaters Writers' Guild!

To all of you, my heartfelt thanks. You have indeed been a blessing to me.