Writers need more than words, they need community

There are many perceptions about what it is like to be a writer and to write for a living. Those ideas range from the belief that the writing life is about romance and creativity rather than a “real job,” to the assumption that writing is just a fun hobby. Some think writers earn riches from book deals, while others assume they live with constant financial instability. Writing is often viewed as a form of therapy, or as work with no fixed hours, and many believe anyone, with or without talent, can be a writer.

For some writers, it can be difficult to overcome these perceptions, especially when family and friends share them. Such attitudes can deflate a writer’s need to write and, ultimately, affect their potential success and income.

True writers need to write. But they also need a community that believes in what they are trying to achieve and respects the work they have chosen. One way to find that support is by joining a local writers group, such as the North Canton Public Library Writers Group or the Greater Canton Writers’ Guild. Other groups exist throughout the area, and a quick internet search or a conversation at a local bookstore or library can help writers find one that fits.

These groups provide opportunities to learn more about the craft, share ideas, receive feedback and build camaraderie. Members offer support, advice, inspiration, workshops and speakers, while also giving writers the chance to help others. Above all, writers groups offer a sense of community and understanding about what it means to write.

Leaders from two area writers groups shared their thoughts on why participation matters.

The North Canton Writers Group meets the last Monday of each month, except December, from 6:30-7:45 p.m. at the North Canton Public Library. The group’s leader is Kathy Buttermore.

“I joined the group because the prior group leader left,” Buttermore wrote in an email interview. “Librarian Katie Hutchison contacted me about being the new group leader. I retired from Walsh University in June 2022 after working there for 33 years as an associate professor of English and writing center director. Katie had worked at Walsh as a librarian, and we stayed in touch.”

Buttermore said the group has about 15 regular members of various ages. The group’s purpose is to support one another and offer positive feedback while helping members develop their stories. Fictional short stories and novels are the primary focus.

“Since I started in October, I’ve focused first on writing styles, which helps writers develop their unique voices,” she said. “We talk about themes, interpretation and sentence structure.

“As an English major, I was given passages from famous authors and had to identify them. Hemingway, who used short sentences and created images, is very different from James Joyce, who wrote long, complex sentences. In the coming months, we’ll discuss creating dialogue, addressing difficult areas of writing, how audiences interpret stories, and how to get work copyrighted and published. We also use a reader-response strategy so members receive group feedback.”

Buttermore plans to bring in guest speakers, including a representative from Ohioana, an organization that publishes Ohio writers, sponsors contests and book fairs, and produces Ohioana Quarterly.

“The main reason the group meets is to support and encourage each other,” she said. “Everyone’s ideas and efforts are respected. Being part of a group is wonderful because other people think of things you might not. It helps writers make sure their ideas are developing as intended.”

Buttermore said storytelling remains one of the oldest ways of communicating culture, events and ideas, from ancient bards to Chaucer and Shakespeare. “Writers supporting writers provide the best opportunity for feedback, ideas and validation,” she said.

She is currently working on short stories featuring a character named Pearl Elizabeth Austen, a young girl whose parents are antique dealers and auctioneers.

“I named her after my grandmothers, Pearl Austen and Elizabeth Richards,” she said. “My grandmother Pearl Austen’s great-grandfather, Ambrose Austen, brought his family to Ohio in 1815 and bought farmland in Wayne County. He was a first cousin to Jane Austen.”

More information on the North Canton Writers Group is available at events.northcantonlibrary.org.

The Greater Canton Writers’ Guild Inc. meets the third Thursday of each month from 6-8 p.m. at the DeHoff office building on South Main Street in North Canton. The group’s president for the past nine years is Jean Trent.

“I found out about the group while doing an interview and photo project with Hubert Howes,” Trent said in an email interview. “He mentioned he was a member and suggested I reach out. The Guild was formed as an all-volunteer nonprofit to provide writers with a place to learn, exchange ideas, critique manuscripts and share market information.”

The Guild was founded in 1964 by painter and poet Gail Golloday Schneider. It includes writers working in poetry, fiction and nonfiction, as well as a sister group, the Canton Poetry Society. Over the years, members have published books and contributed to several Guild anthologies.

“Being part of a writers group offers camaraderie, resources and feedback,” Trent said. “Spending time with creative people is always great. Groups also create accountability. Writers groups are important for improving skills, networking and finding the right creative fit.”

More information about the Greater Canton Writers’ Guild is available at greatercantonwritersguild.com.