Writing is a solitary act. It might not feel like it because you’re spending time with your characters who are much more interesting than live humans, but at the end of the day it’s you and your computer, alone. Writing isn’t like say, basketball, where you discuss a game plan ahead of time, work passing the ball during the game, shower with your teammates afterwards, get naked and clean together, pass the soap in the shower….Sorry, I digress.

Writing is a marathon, not a sprint. If you want to do it, you have to reach out and connect to someone. Not just any old human either, another writer. This is where writing groups come in handy. Reading your work out loud in front of other writers is very beneficial. (Much more beneficial than reading it out loud to your bartender.)

Whether it’s an Internet circle of six people who read/write/edit/suggest and salivate over your erotica or swoon over your romance novels, or beta readers who suggest how to get more action in your mystery stories, you need ‘em. They pick up on picky edits and catch mistakes. Those smart brains notice when changing the order of sentences is helpful, and they suggest adding a stronger verb to draw the reader in more forcefully. Your writing group. Yup. They improve your writing, and that’s priceless, and there are other benefits as well.

Yes, little changes that your writing group suggests to your novel or short story will help. Just as important, their support will keep you going.

In other words, they will help you from going FREAKING insane.

Always a plus.

Unless you have a pro basketball team to get naked with, in which case, you could spend less time at the laptop and more time with a video recorder.