Mankind is my business

One of the benefits of writing is the wonderful people I meet. I’m constantly amazed by the number of writers groups in my city and the wide assortment of people who write. This month alone I’m blissfully moving between a lecture by one of the local forensics specialists to the psychology of goals, conflicts and motivation. For anyone who thinks writing is a solitary activity, I disagree. The actual act of sitting and putting words on paper may be solitary for most. I envy those who can sit in bustling coffee shops and actually put anything meaningful on paper. Yet it’s the bustle of humanity that feeds our creativity.

I strongly recommend any writer who doesn’t already belong to a group find at least one that suits them. It may take trial and error to find the proper blend of personalities and experience. I’ve been fortunate in finding people who take their writing seriously and continuously educate themselves in their craft. Everything from online courses to local lectures is available in most communities. My local library system is a wonderful resource, as are various online blogs.

But aside from the actual writers groups and classes, the font of creativity surrounds me daily. The line at the credit union, a harried woman in the grocery store - I never know when I’m going to see something that will appear on the page, often unconsciously. I, along with many of my fellow writers, have gotten in the habit of slipping a notebook into my purse to jot down that intriguing fragment of conversation, that gesture that fascinates.

Best of all are those rare souls who take the time to indulge a writer’s questions. One of the most precious gifts a writer can receive is a patient, detailed answer by someone with personal knowledge of whatever subject fascinates us.

There are times when I feel a kinship with Marley’s ghost in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol when he cries out, “Mankind was my business.” However solitary the act of writing, I’m never more involved with people than when I research, create and seek publication. Without people, there would be no research or plotline, no conflict to build from, no one to read my work.