Have you got yourself a writing or blogging buddy? What are the benefits of a buddy? This is something I’ve personally been thinking a lot about lately and I’ve thought of 5 major reasons to get yourself a buddy;
- Motivation/Accountability – I’m often procrastinating and sometimes I need that little push to actually get off my ass and back writing. I’m lucky to have people that often ask about my blog and if I’ve updated, not so much when it comes to writing, simply because my blog is my primary focus.
- Proofreading – I’m really bad at proof reading so it’s nice to have someone who will find any spelling or grammar mistakes that you may have missed
- Constructive Criticism – while your buddy is checking for spelling mistakes it’s also handy for them to point out sections that didn’t flow right or even didn’t full explain what was going on.
- Collaboration – especially in blogging it’s nice to be able to have someone write a guest post and offer a new perspective for your readers. Also it’s nice to be able to play around with a story with your buddy and see where it takes you.
- Strategy – you often need someone to bounce ideas and vent to; often a buddy would be the perfect person to go to when you’ve hit a wall and need help getting around it.
What to look for in a writing buddy?
Obviously you want to find a writing buddy that you can trust and rely on, I’m lucky I’ve got my wife who is always one of my biggest critics and knows what I’m trying to write (most of the time). Thought she doesn’t write much, I think she covers all the relevant requirements in a writing buddy.
Even if you don’t have a writing buddy, your blog community is another amazing source. They may not cover every aspect of a writing buddy but they do become a reliable source for feedback and growth. I personally feel like I gain very valuable insight form my readers.
All in all there, it’s important as a writer to know how to take criticism and how to apply it. As a writer or a blogger, it’s important to grow and evolve into the best you can be; and a writing buddy is the perfect companion on your writing journey.
What are your opinions on Writing Buddies?
I guess I kind of look at all the people whose blogs I visit as de facto writing buddies. When I see others posting frequently it makes me want to join in and keep up my blog. It’s kind of the same reason I do NaNoWriMo, it’s such a party atmosphere it’s hard to sit it out 🙂
The blogging community is great for motivation