What does it take to become an Olympian? The same thing it takes to be a writer. Teamwork.
The Winter Olympics are here! I’m always amazed by what our athletes can do, especially when it comes to winter sports. The blades and ice give winter sports an added element of danger that both scares and fascinates me. But it isn’t just the graceful ice-skating routines, mind-boggling snowboard flips, and lightning-fast luge times that I love about the Olympics; it’s the determination and behind-the-scenes teamwork that I appreciate. And it’s for those same reasons that I admire writers so much.
It Takes a Village
Those athletes didn’t hop out of bed one morning and become Olympians just by wishing for it. They trained and worked every day for years. And they didn’t do it alone. They relied on their friends and families for encouragement and support. Sponsors and scholarships helped cover their costs. Coaches, trainers, and nutritionists taught them how to improve their skills and care for themselves. As fans, we don’t usually see all that hard work and teamwork happening before the competition. We only see the results.
That’s how it is when you’re a writer. Your readers don’t see the hours you spend typing away at your keyboard. They don’t see your crumpled drafts and notebooks full of ideas. Your readers don’t see how many revisions you made or know how many publishers you approached with your book proposal. All the readers see is the result of your hard work and determination.
You want to give readers your very best, just as an athlete wants to perform their best during a competition. To be the best, you need a support team. Maybe for you, that means working with a literary coach or a writing group. Perhaps you could benefit from partnering with a beta reader or an authenticity reader. If you’re further along in your writing journey, copy editors and proofreaders can polish your work so that your ideas stand out instead of typos. Typesetters and layout designers will help you get ready to publish, both digitally and in print. So whether you’re just getting started with your idea or you’re close to publishing, be it a social media campaign or a full manuscript, you can build a team to help you reach your writing goals.
Takeaways
Writing can feel like a very solitary pursuit, but it doesn’t have to be. Teamwork can help writers during any stage of the creative process. If you are ready to team up with someone to work on your writing project, contact me! I’d love to learn more about your project and show you the benefits of working with a professional copy editor and proofreader. Together we can make your writing bulletproof!