Writing may seem like a solitary profession, but all writers need a supportive community to help them accomplish their goals and flourish in their craft. Established writers often work with a literary agent, multiple editors, a marketing strategist, and numerous other people before they see their work in print. 

But, what if we’re writers who are still building our body of work and our writing career? Who should we look to for encouragement and support? What type of people do we need in our corner to help us improve our craft, reach our goals, and keep writing, even when the writing gets tough?

Read on to find out!

A Friend 

Every writer needs a friend who is a fellow writer. Family and non-writerly friends can lend support and listen to our concerns, but no one understands the writing life better than someone else immersed in the world of writing and publishing.

A fellow writing friend is a resonator. They resonate with our frustrations, our questions, and...

Do you want to become a working writer with a steady income? 

You could rely on your writing skills and focus on producing more articles, more blog posts, or more books. But, publication isn’t the only income option available. Many writers find that creating multiple streams of income without relying solely on content production is a healthy and viable way to make a living as a writer.  

If you’re looking for a new way to use your writing skills and generate more consistent income, becoming a certified writing coach may be the right path for you. A writing coach is someone who mentors other writers in various aspects of the writing life. As a writing coach, you have the opportunity to draw on your writing skills, your experience, and your expertise to help writers a few steps behind you enter the writing world with confidence.

Perhaps your strength is the craft of writing, pitching articles, editing, book proposal development, or self-publishing. Maybe you...

We love to celebrate our members and their writing progress. Each month, we highlight a member whose work caught our attention, and this month we’re celebrating nonfiction writer Michelle Layer Rahal. To learn more about Michelle’s writing, you can visit her website or find her on Instagram and Facebook.

We asked Michelle to tell us about her writing journey as a hope*writer. Here’s Michelle’s story in her own words.

When did you first realize you were a writer?

I've been writing since I was a little kid. I remember my 6th grade teacher telling me to become an author. Instead, I went into radio newscasting, then into the field of education, where I worked on state and federal studies. I love conducting interviews, doing research, and working with data, then turning it into a story that is comprehensible for everyone. 

What is the value of having a community of writers to come alongside you?

It has been AMAZING! I put off joining hope*writers for...

When veteran journalist Richard Lui decided to write a book on selflessness, he believed there was no better time than now to publish it. Richard sensed that there was a deep need for his book, and he didn’t want to wait the typical multi-year cycle to see it published. In order to get the book on bookshelves sooner, Richard decided the best approach to writing was a selfless one. So, he invited a team of collaborators to join him in the book writing process.

Richard says he viewed the project as a small start up, and brought in a team that helped him reach the finish line in the “fastest, most efficient way possible.” He started with hiring a coach he calls a book sherpa. His book sherpa, Nancy, was essentially the Chief Operating Officer of the book writing process and saw the process through from beginning to end.

The next step in the process of collaboration was to hire a team of ten diverse consultants with various areas of expertise. The team included a...

At first glance, podcasting and writing appear to have little in common. However, podcasting is rooted in providing thoughtfully organized information, which often involves storytelling — just like writing. These are the same skills writers use to engage their readers.Writers often consider starting a podcast to broaden the reach of their message.

If you’re a writer who wants to start a podcast, there are a number of things to consider before you begin. We asked author and podcaster Knox McCoy of The Popcast with Knox and Jamie for his top tips for aspiring podcasters. 

Here’s what Knox recommends:

Know your why.

The podcasting market has exploded over the last few years, and it’s a crowded space. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t add your voice, but it does mean you’ll need to know why you’re joining the world of podcasting. 

You will likely need a secondary platform to gather your audience outside of podcasting....

What does it take to become a New York Times bestselling author? Annie F. Downs, author of multiple books and one New York Times bestseller, believes it takes perseverance and a belief in your calling as a writer. Annie’s path to publication got off to a rocky start filled with numerous rejection letters. In fact, her first book received 47 rejections from publishers.

“The book I had written wouldn’t sell. I got 47 nos. There aren’t even that many publishers! We got multiple nos from the same houses.” — Annie F. Downs

Annie self-published her first book and went on to write four more books, which are now stocked on the shelves of stores all over the country. She’s expanded her reach beyond books and continues to share her message by speaking and hosting the popular podcast That Sounds Fun.

We sat down with Annie to discuss her path to publication, and she offered the following advice for writers who face...

Many of us romanticize summer as a time for carefree relaxation, novels read poolside, and backyard barbecues. All these things may happen, but the reality is, most of us continue to work regular hours throughout the summer, fitting fun into the margins on our calendars.

In summer, our everyday work life can feel the squeeze as responsibilities expand. Children may be home from school, schedules quickly fill up with get-togethers, and perhaps we’ve planned a week or two of vacation. 

For writers, frustration can build up when our regular rhythm of work is no longer possible. If you have a primary job, writing time is often the first thing to go. If you write for a living, summer can cause serious stress to your regular writing schedule.

At hope*writers, we believe everything is figureoutable — even your summer writing routine. The following three tips will help you create a flexible plan to make progress on your writing this summer. 

1. Get clear on the...

At hope*writers, we love to celebrate our members and their writing progress. Each month, we highlight a member whose work caught our attention, and this month we’re celebrating nonfiction writer Amanda Dzimianski. To learn more about Amanda’s writing, you can visit her website or find her on Instagram and Twitter.

We asked Amanda to tell us about her writing journey as a hope*writer. Here’s Amanda’s story in her own words.

When did you first realize you were a writer?

During a drive in 2018 when I listened to episode five of The Next Right Thing podcast, called "Offer Your Work With Hope." I suddenly realized that I didn't have to fight against the desires I'd carried in my heart since childhood, when I dreamed of a career writing books. I could accept those desires as part of who I am, and who I am meant to be.

What is the value of having a community of writers to come alongside you?

Priceless. When I get bogged down by my own doubts, there...

Are you a writer who struggles to make progress? Setting big goals for your writing life can be exciting, but you can lose momentum if you haven’t moved past the dreaming phase. At hope*writers, we’ve helped thousands of writers like you get unstuck and move forward with their writing goals. 

When you define and refine your writing vision, it’s important to dream and think big. What do you want to be true for your reader because you said yes to your writing? That requires broad thinking. But when it comes to setting goals and making progress toward those goals, the way to get there is not by thinking big. The secret to making progress is more manageable than many writers think. 

The secret is to start small. 

We still need to brainstorm and name our writing vision and goals, but after we identify the big stuff, many of us lose steam. We need to narrow down our goals to a few key targets and focus on building habits around those...

In a world of information overload, it’s normal for writers to wonder if our words matter or if we’re simply adding to the overwhelm and noise. It’s easy to feel discouraged and wonder if we should keep writing when it seems like so many writers do it better than us, have a larger readership than us, or have a more established online presence. 

All of those things might be true, but here’s the thing: No one can tell your story the way you do. No one else has your life experience, your wisdom, your training, your personality, your humor, or your particular zone of genius. If you want to write words that matter, filter them through your unique worldview and your experiences.

At hope*writers, we believe your hopeful words matter, regardless of how many writers share a similar storyline, topic, or message. There are enough readers for every writer, and there are readers who need to read words written from your perspective. 

Writers who...