Writers Need Other Writers

I'm writing this from a gorgeous old house (build 1791) deep in rural Shropshire, where I'm on a writing retreat with my writing chums Jane Cable (aka Eva Glyn), Cass Grafton, Kitty Wilson and Kirsten Hesketh (aka Poppy Cooper and Kirsty Dougal).

This was us the first time we went away together to write, back in October 2018 - and, yes, that was champagne in the glasses, because Kitty was having a publication day.   top to bottom: Kitty, Jane, Cass, Kirsten and me.

Writing is generally is solitary process so being together feels like a great treat. For years I thought of this as normal, something I put down to a mixture of two things. Firstly, I am an introvert by nature; and secondly, I was a child writer. When I was a school, a couple of friends had a go at writing because of me, but they didn't stick with it for long, so I grew up thinking of writing as being something you do on your own.

But I learned that writers need other writers after I saw an ad for a writing holiday by the sea in Cornwall and I signed up for it. It was the first time I had ever had the chance to talk about writing with people who understood. Writers are always interested in other writers - in their work, their careers and their experiences. Writers will always share what they know and provide encouragement and support. It is a wonderful profession in that respect.