Help is not something I usually ask for. I hate to be an imposition on anyone if there is any possible way I can handle the situation myself I will. But with writing I can't do it myself. The writing process is a collaborative effort.
You can reach out to your writing group, fellow bloggers, other online groups and communities you belong to and you will find all the help you need.
Please be sure to give back as much if not more than you get. You will find many opportunities to give back.
Happy helping!
Yes, asking for help is the hardest thing for me to do. Giving seems to be easier!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this Kathryn!
Garden of Eden Blog
I agree. I really see it as a sign of weakness if I ask for help with something I could find a way to do on my own if I work extra hard at it or bend over backwards into a pretzel but at least I did it myself- quite stupid of me when I think about it and write it down for all to see.
DeleteIf I could just accept help in real life with the same comfort as I do with my writing!!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. But at least it is a start and maybe it will make the transition to asking for help in other areas easier for us.
DeleteThe other day I was hiking and my friend reached out to me as I hesitated on one side of a creek. There were rocks assembled to walk across but I am less steady than I used to be. I reached out for her hand and stepped across.
ReplyDeleteThis is not something I would have been comfortable with even a year ago - accepting help, I used to think, was a sign of weakness. Now I know it is a definite sign of strength.
Great post!
Julie Jordan Scott
The Bold Writer from A to Z
I tend to view it as a sign of weakness as well and you are so right that you grow you learn that it is really a strength. Plus I have a stronger relationship with my friends for it.
DeleteI was finally able to leave a comment on your blog today! Yohoo! I am blaming my home computer for the issue.
In order to succeed with our writing projects, we have to be rather independent spirits, able and willing to do things on our own. It's easy to take that too far, though. It's hard for me to ask for help, but I am slowly learning to do so.
ReplyDeleteI asked for a LOT of help when putting my self-published book together, especially with software glitches. What a relief when people could point me in the right direction!
~Tui Snider~
@TuiSnider on Twitter
My blog: Tui Snider's Offbeat & Overlooked Travel
I am also part of the #StoryDam team, a friendly writing community!
It is true that so much of the ideas and story creation are solitary but you can't get your work out there without others. I am most likely going to self publish so I will be sure to reach out to you for some helpful tips!
DeleteYes, you're so right that helping other writers comes back to you like karma. I'm trying to make time to critique my writer friends, and to let other writers bounce ideas off me when they need it!
ReplyDeleteI love the collaborative nature of the writers I have met.
DeleteAsking for help is hard to do but the benefits are immeasurable. I always have to tell myself that it's okay to ask for help and all a person can say is No and that doesn't hurt.
ReplyDelete~Patricia Lynne~
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, YA Author
Patricia, Thanks for visiting. You are right that the worst that can happen is that someone will refuse to help and you will be no worse off than when you started.
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