Writing Buddies
Writing buddies are great. Seriously, anyone who has a writing buddy (or better yet, more than one) knows what I'm talking about.
I have two of the best writing buddies in the world: Jess and JJ. I can honestly say that someone was smiling on me the day I met these two.
When I was at high school, I was always the odd one out, even in my circle of friends. I enjoyed reading and writing, prefered staying home on Friday nights with a book rather than going out. When we had writing tasks in class and my peers were groaning, I was doing a celebratory dance. You can see why I never really fit in, huh?
My friends were cool with my quirks. "It's part of her charm," they would say. I loved them, I still do, but they didn't understand. I had never known anyone like me...
...and then I went to university and met Jess and JJ.
The three of us are all individuals, we enjoy reading different things, watching different things, have different hobbies (other than reading and writing) and yet, we're all the same too. I've never met anyone who understands where I'm coming from like they do. We're all on completely the same wave-length. Hell, we finish each other's sentences. And if you find one of us, it's a guarantee the other two will be around somewhere. Not even my best friend is that in tune with me.
Jess and I kind of stuck together on the first day, possibly because she recognised me from Orientation Day and sat next to me in class. We never tried to unstick from each other, even in the very early days, so maybe it was something unconscious. JJ came into the fold a couple of months later. Jess is the sweet one, the obsessive fangirl, the one with too many posters than she knows what to do with; JJ is the crazy one, the one who always has a one-liner ready to crack us up, the one who's too blunt for her own good and calls it like she sees it. Me? I'm the mother hen. I keep those two in line. Won't be in class and need the notes? No problem. Get them off me. Can't remember when an assignment is due? I can tell you the date and give you pointers because I've already completed it, even though it's not due for two more weeks.
I still remember the first time I sent a piece of writing to them via email. It was filled with "pleases" and "thank yous" and "really, if you don't have time to look over it, that's more than ok, I'll totally understand's". I had sent them Chapter 1 of Long Road Home, more on a whim than anything else, because I was so proud of the chapter and because I think I knew, even then, that it was The One. I was wary though. We hadn't really known each other that long, who was I to send them something they probably didn't care anything about?
I was shocked when they replied and even more so when I realised they'd noted down some thoughts. What they liked, what they didn't, what they thought could be expanded on, what might be explained in a more effective way. This had never happened to me before. A couple of my friends from high school had read some work of mine but the most I'd got from them was, "This is great, Marie!!!!!!! Send me more!" That was great at the time (talk about an ego stoke), but now I know that it wasn't enough. To improve, I needed to know what wasn't working and, as the writer, everything was perfect in my eyes.
Which is where Jess and JJ come in. Twelve months on from that first polite email, I send them everything I write. Admittedly, the emails have become less polite since then. They're more along the lines of, "I wrote this, read it and let me know what you think." Following this there are generally numerous inside jokes and my own thoughts on what I've written as well as things I'd like them to focus on specifically. And they do it! They have lives, but they read what I give them and offer their thoughts and ideas. They're my writing buddies and that's what writing buddies do.
They know LRH inside out, back-to-front and upside down. The only person who knows more about it than them is me, and I'm the author. Having a person like that is something every writer needs. It's impossible for a writer to see the imperfections in his/her own work. They need someone objective. Jess and JJ are objective while also knowing where I'm going with the story. Sometimes, I have an idea for how something will be, but they come up with something better, probably because LRH is so set in my head that I can't see any other way until it's pointed out to me.
So, Jess and JJ (and I know you're reading this, because I'm going to make you!), thank you for all you do. You will be acknowledged in LRH's dedication, of course, but now everyone reading this also knows how great you two are for me. I love you girls!
~ Marie
I have two of the best writing buddies in the world: Jess and JJ. I can honestly say that someone was smiling on me the day I met these two.
When I was at high school, I was always the odd one out, even in my circle of friends. I enjoyed reading and writing, prefered staying home on Friday nights with a book rather than going out. When we had writing tasks in class and my peers were groaning, I was doing a celebratory dance. You can see why I never really fit in, huh?
My friends were cool with my quirks. "It's part of her charm," they would say. I loved them, I still do, but they didn't understand. I had never known anyone like me...
...and then I went to university and met Jess and JJ.
The three of us are all individuals, we enjoy reading different things, watching different things, have different hobbies (other than reading and writing) and yet, we're all the same too. I've never met anyone who understands where I'm coming from like they do. We're all on completely the same wave-length. Hell, we finish each other's sentences. And if you find one of us, it's a guarantee the other two will be around somewhere. Not even my best friend is that in tune with me.
Jess and I kind of stuck together on the first day, possibly because she recognised me from Orientation Day and sat next to me in class. We never tried to unstick from each other, even in the very early days, so maybe it was something unconscious. JJ came into the fold a couple of months later. Jess is the sweet one, the obsessive fangirl, the one with too many posters than she knows what to do with; JJ is the crazy one, the one who always has a one-liner ready to crack us up, the one who's too blunt for her own good and calls it like she sees it. Me? I'm the mother hen. I keep those two in line. Won't be in class and need the notes? No problem. Get them off me. Can't remember when an assignment is due? I can tell you the date and give you pointers because I've already completed it, even though it's not due for two more weeks.
I still remember the first time I sent a piece of writing to them via email. It was filled with "pleases" and "thank yous" and "really, if you don't have time to look over it, that's more than ok, I'll totally understand's". I had sent them Chapter 1 of Long Road Home, more on a whim than anything else, because I was so proud of the chapter and because I think I knew, even then, that it was The One. I was wary though. We hadn't really known each other that long, who was I to send them something they probably didn't care anything about?
I was shocked when they replied and even more so when I realised they'd noted down some thoughts. What they liked, what they didn't, what they thought could be expanded on, what might be explained in a more effective way. This had never happened to me before. A couple of my friends from high school had read some work of mine but the most I'd got from them was, "This is great, Marie!!!!!!! Send me more!" That was great at the time (talk about an ego stoke), but now I know that it wasn't enough. To improve, I needed to know what wasn't working and, as the writer, everything was perfect in my eyes.
Which is where Jess and JJ come in. Twelve months on from that first polite email, I send them everything I write. Admittedly, the emails have become less polite since then. They're more along the lines of, "I wrote this, read it and let me know what you think." Following this there are generally numerous inside jokes and my own thoughts on what I've written as well as things I'd like them to focus on specifically. And they do it! They have lives, but they read what I give them and offer their thoughts and ideas. They're my writing buddies and that's what writing buddies do.
They know LRH inside out, back-to-front and upside down. The only person who knows more about it than them is me, and I'm the author. Having a person like that is something every writer needs. It's impossible for a writer to see the imperfections in his/her own work. They need someone objective. Jess and JJ are objective while also knowing where I'm going with the story. Sometimes, I have an idea for how something will be, but they come up with something better, probably because LRH is so set in my head that I can't see any other way until it's pointed out to me.
So, Jess and JJ (and I know you're reading this, because I'm going to make you!), thank you for all you do. You will be acknowledged in LRH's dedication, of course, but now everyone reading this also knows how great you two are for me. I love you girls!
~ Marie