What I have learnt after 12 months of Buddy Writing

I met J A Duxbury online not long after I started the Bushland Castle Productions. I think it was something to do with the podcast and advertising the second series on her writing group. I was open to new interviews at the time and she was keen to come on as a guest. We discussed the business at length and as I had been out of the game for so long I wanted to know how I could best support current writers. I had a fair idea what I was interested in, but there was a chance things had changed in my absence. It was a long time.

So I was very serious about gathering the right information that would support and encourage the writers that I wanted to get on board. I was very open and transparent that this was my first series and there was so much that I needed to learn, but we would be able to learn together.

I had not worked on Discord before. It was one of the platforms that didn't hold much interest to me. I was didn't understand the way that it works until Julz taught me. So when we decided to start running the write-ins, that is the platform that we thought was the easiest to use. I know that I wouldn't be able to commit to 4 days a week, but between the two of us, we could get the job done. Me in the mornings and her in the arvo.

After a year of running the write-ins I have learnt that you need to be flexible. You need to focus on achieving something throughout the session and say it back to your writing buddy. Openly and honestly. You only get out of it what you put in.

The Camera really does keep me on my seat. We generally run the sprints for 23mins and 45 seconds, because I am whimsical like that and with the camera actually on makes me stay there. I don't know if anyone else on the team are actually looking, but I have that extra pressure to stay on my seat. In a good way.

I probably wouldn't have finished my Novella without the support and encouragement of the group. The regular writing sessions and the community growth meant the world to me.

We are still meeting after I have finished the story and I have started working through other things. There is always something new and it is a dedicated time.

So not a huge blog post about the write ins other than it is worth giving a try.

Monday and Wednesday 3-5pm AWST

Tuesday and Thursday 10am-12noon AWST

Free on Discord.