Right now I have a pretty open schedule. That's Hollywood speak for "unemployed." I'm definitely making the most out of my time and I'm getting a lot of writing done. But when you don't have an office to go to, it's hard to get your ass out of bed and to get on a schedule. That's the good thing about having a writing partner. You have someone you have to be accountable to every day. The bad thing about having a writing partner is that it's like another relationship and I don't want to be in another relationship. I love collaboration, but I've always been a solo act when it comes to writing. It's just what I know. But I do like the idea of having someone who is there to make sure I'm writing.
That's where my friend Larry comes in. One day about a year and a half ago, we were chatting about having writing partners. Both of us came to the same conclusion: we want someone to push us, but we don't want to have a partner. So I suggested we be each other's wingman. We would get together once a week or so (depending on our schedules) and check in about how the writing's going. We would meet up at a coffee place in his hood, which was fine. But eventually the new West Hollywood Library opened up and we decided that we should meet up to write and to chat. So we give ourselves three hours. That's the length of free parking you have in the library parking lot. We meet up generally on Wednesdays from 11-2. We work for about 90 minutes and then talk for 90 minutes. It helps having a set appointment every week. And it's good just to talk about what we're working on and encouraging each other.
My friend Susan and I do that just in weekly check-ins, either in person or on the phone. My wingwoman relationship with Susan is much more on a holistic, spiritual level. She'll do my tarot cards. We'll get together for lunch. We'll have dinner at her place. I'll babysit her kid, then we'll hang out afterwards. But it's just a good touchstone. Lately, we've been going on walks together. Talking about the things we want for ourselves.
My friend Elyzabeth, who now teaches in Tennessee, and I try to do that when we can. But she's got a young daughter and a busy schedule. We hardly find time to get together on the phone. But we're always thinking about each other and keeping each other on top of various submission and teaching opportunities. Actually, she's been letting me know what's out there more than the reverse lately.
And lately, my friend Andrea and I have been getting together on days that I'm not meeting with Larry at the library. Our sessions are longer. We do a couple of hours, then lunch, then a couple more hours. She's applying for graduate schools. I'm working on these play rewrites. But we're both there for each other to make sure we keep our heads above water.
When I was teaching, I stressed the importance of having a personal network of people you trust who keep you on your toes. Even as a student, I knew the importance of having people who believed in me when other people maybe didn't get it yet. And these wing people keep my head on straight. I love having them in my life. They are people I respect and admire. I think they're talented and they're just good people. And when I look at the work I need to get done before the end of the year, I know I need them more than ever.
No comments:
Post a Comment