This week, I had a number of occasions to think about the invaluable role writer friends play in a writer’s life. Tuesday, I had a fabulous writing date with Veronica Wolff. We sipped coffee (and later in the day wine), enjoyed her fabulous view of the Pacific Ocean, caught up on families and writing projects, but still managed to spend most of our time working on our laptops. I wrote 2300 words, the most I’ve written so far on any one day for this book, and a *very* good writing day for me on any day. There’s something about working alongside another writer that helps me focus in and be productive.
Wednesday, I had lunch with Anne Mallory, Monica McCarty, and Penny Williamson at the wonderful Café Rouge in Berkeley, celebrating, among other things, Anne’s book For the Earl’s Pleasure being a finalist in Romance Writers of America’s RITA contest and Monica making the NYT list with her latest book, The Chief. That’s another thing about writer friends. They understand just how important it is to celebrate all the good things, because the writer’s life can be very unpredictable.
Wednesday night I went with Monica when she talked to a romance readers group at a Borders in Los Gatos (with some time spent working in the Borders café between lunch and the talk). It was fascinating hearing readers’ insights on the books they’re reading. Then Monica, Veronica, Bella Andre, Jackie Yau, and I had dinner with more writer talk.
Saturday, Penny and I wore hats and went out for tea at the gorgeous Garden Court in the Palace Hotel. Like stepping back in time to the days of art deco (my dad used to go tea dancing at the Garden Court as a teenager). It was a long-delayed celebration for my new book contract (and no less fun for being delayed).
The whole week was a very rejuvenating combination of fun and work. It made me realize yet again how much support and inspiration I get from my writing friends, whether it’s writing together, celebrating successes, or brainstorming plot ideas. I love writing at home with a cup of tea on a gray, rainy day like this one, but I don’t think I could get through a book without the support of my writer friends.
Do you write or work on other projects with friends? Do you find sometimes friends who share your field (whether it’s writing or something else) are the only ones who understand the particular joys and stresses of that field? Does knowing particular writers are friends influence what you think when you read those writers’ books?
Tracy Grant - Novelist 
April 11, 2010 at 9:04 pm
Yes, my friend and business partner, Julie, and I write together all the time. We just finished a cookbook (so we cook together, too). We found that with our busy lives (both working full time in non-writing jobs) we got less motivated the further away from each other and from the project we got.
You are in our neck of the woods. We write in Half Moon Bay and I work 3 blocks from the Sheraton Palace Garden Court. Lovely place…makes you want to wear a hat.
Love your column. I am itching to try my hand at writing a romance and have been jotting down ideas for a year now. Is there something I can do to jump-start from dreaming to doing? Is there a beginner’s group I could join?
April 11, 2010 at 9:34 pm
Thanks for posting, Mary! How wonderful that you and Julie can write and cook together. I also find working alongside someone else helps me stay motivated. No getting up to put a load of laundry in or open the mail :-).
Half Moon Bay is beautiful! When I was at Stanford, my family would sometimes drive to and from the coast way and stop in Half Moon Bay for dinner. And yes, the Garden Court, definitely seems to call for a hat. I have a great blue one with a bow that I wore yesterday.
Do you know about Romance Writers of America? There’s a San Francisco Bay Area Chapter that usually meets in the Berkeley/Emeryville area, and also a Silicon Valley Chapter. They have monthly meetings, with writers, editors, agents, and others as guest speakers. And you can meet other writers and perhaps find a critique group to join.
April 11, 2010 at 9:49 pm
Loved the post, Tracy! Can’t wait for our next date!! 🙂
April 11, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Thanks, V! Same here :-).
April 11, 2010 at 11:12 pm
I had a standing weekly date with my best friend and fellow writer, Katrina. We write in very different styles and genres, which sometimes it’s one of the best things about our relationship, as we can call each other out when we’re using our genre’s conventions as a crutch.
Having the company is wonderful, and even when we don’t get as much writing done as we like, the conversation is almost as productive. Today, Katrina was kind enough to nod in the right places as I talked myself out of some writer’s block — I realized that someone who was meant to be a minor character wants to grow her part. I’m excited to get to know her better and hope to do some brainstorming tonight.
When I have to miss out on a Sunday date, I definitely feel it in my work during the rest of the week.
April 12, 2010 at 3:36 am
Thanks for sharing some of your writing process, Cate! None of my writer friends write exactly what I write, but all of us wrote romance at one point or still do. It would be interesting to have a writing friend who was completely disconnected from genre conventions and could catch when one used them as a crutch as you say.
You bring up another thing writing friends are wonderful for–brainstorming ideas. I was at an event tonight where some friends were asking me about Vienna Waltz, and I was telling them how when my agent said the plot needed another emotional layer, it was my writer friends who helped me come up with Charles’s and Tatiana’s past connection over a very productive lunch (which is funny, because as you and I discussed, it now seems so organic to the book I can’t believe I didn’t start with it). I also find helping other writers brainstorm their books energizes me creatively.
Totally agree about writing dates helping carry one through the week. Veronica and I have another writing date next week, and I’m already looking forward to it!