Friday, I went out to eat with a coworker, Wennie, and her wife, Ariel. It was Wennie’s idea for us to meet—Ariel is working on a memoir, too. They recently moved to Michigan after many years in California. Ariel is my age; Wennie is about a decade younger, one of those people who could easily pass for much younger.
Ariel’s health seemed fragile. She walked with difficulty, horn-rimmed glasses perched too small on her face. Her quiet appearance didn’t give away the colorful past she lived on the West Coast.
Once we swapped a few stories, I felt at ease talking about my own book. We exchanged emails and agreed to share writing. I’ll admit—I’m always a little intimidated by people like Ariel who have taken real writing classes. I’ve had no formal training; everything I’ve learned came from mistakes.
But Ariel had been part of a group of writers in California, and it reminded me how important it is to connect with others who share the same interests.
That's wonderful. The two of you should read each other's work. You can each offer insights to the other on how to improve. It's good to have feedback, once you get over worrying about how the other person will react. (They usually react way better than you think they will.)
ReplyDeleteYes, I think it will work out well.
Delete