We Are Family

Ever seen those sitcom episodes where the characters in the ensemble get into the same business or hobby and then spend 25 of the next 30 minutes arguing, fighting and competing with each other? Usually leads to increasing laughs and stupidity. Good for humor, but bad for the overall goal the two of them are trying to achieve. At least it was on "Friends."

Writers in the same genre is just like that. Except there's no script and no 30-minute time frame. And no laughs. Mostly, there's a lot of cursing, throwing things and people getting their feelings hurt. Why do we do that? Why do we hurt the ones who could help us the most, our fellow writers? Shouldn't we be trying to make money and entertain readers together? Can't we call just get along? And yes, I knew I'd turn into Rodney King in this blog, sorry about that.

My friend Carolyn has a tremendous blog post today about writers, and how we should support each other. You can get it here.

I'd like to add two thing to her awesome 13 suggestions: if you get famous and rich off of writing, remember where you came from. That means don't pull a John Grisham and say "I'm not doing book signings even at the places that helped me on my way up to the tippy-top of the writing ladder, because, well I don't need to; I'm that damn good." Remember who got ya there, baby. And second, if someone doesn't offer help or doesn't have time to do so, don't automatically assume they are too big for their britches and need to be knocked off their pedestal. Keep everything in perspective, as Carolyn said.

Anyway, give her blog a look. It's a good one!