I used to think writing was a solitary act.

I wrote alone, brainstormed alone, edited alone. Only on very rare occasion did I let it out into the sunlight, did I invite someone in.

Partly that’s because I was shy. I didn’t think anyone would want to read what I wrote.

And showing someone your writing can feel extremely vulnerable.

As David Mitchell, author of Cloud Atlas and many other brilliant things, wrote, “If you show someone something you’ve written, you give them a sharpened stake, lie down in your coffin, and say, ‘When you’re ready’.”

(Maybe a bit dramatic…but that’s how it feels at first!)

Gradually though, I opened up, thanks in part to a couple dear friends who saw the best in me and wanted to share in the creativity.

Now, I still write and edit mostly alone – but it’s also shared.

I bring my ideas to my writing partners. I show my clients drafts of chapters before they’re polished. I even (gasp) post regularly on my blog!

And along the way, the quality of my writing has increased a hundredfold.

Why?

Because other people can spot potential and help it grow.

They can spot weaknesses and help you work around them (before they get baked into the book).

And they lend an energy and potency that doesn’t exist in solitude.

Don’t get me wrong – in order to write well, we need solitude.

We need time to let our minds wander. Time to be bored. Time to relax and notice the weird and wonderful new ideas that are always dancing around us, sometimes just outside of plain sight.

But many writers tend to err toward too much solitude.

If that’s you, I encourage you to let people in.

Hand someone you trust a sharpened stake.

This can be a good reset if you’re feeling drained by your writing rather than energized. Or if you’re stuck and not sure how to proceed–try reaching out to someone.

If you’re feeling uninspired, it can be a way to bring back that childlike sense of play and exploration.

Working with a writing partner or book coach is fun.

It’s expansive – it opens doors to new ideas, new techniques, new possibilities. I wish I’d started doing it years ago.

If you’re ready to open up your writing by working with someone – even if it feels like handing them a sharpened stake – you might want to start with a trusted book coach and ghostwriter. Send me a message, or schedule your first call with me.