Breaking Out of the Draft Dungeon

By: Shalisha Bynoe

Writing can be lonely. It’s just you, your keyboard, and the existential dread of a blinking cursor. You may begin to question everything: your plot, characters, life choices… and lunch. But fear not, brave wordsmith! You don’t have to go it alone. In fact, you shouldn’t. Writers need people.

Sometimes, the only thing stopping you from finishing Chapter 12 is knowing that your writing buddy will roast you mercilessly in the group chat if you show up empty-handed. Writing communities keep you honest. They cheer you on when you’re sprinting, and they shove you forward when you’re dragging your feet.

Who else will understand your meltdown over a semicolon? Only other writers. In a community, you can bond over character deaths (yours or theirs), rant about plot twists gone rogue, and share tips on how to make your villain less cartoonishly evil and more “menacing but oddly relatable.”

That random writer you met in a forum at 2 a.m.? They might know a guy who knows a guy who knows an agent. Or at least they’ll recommend a decent spellcheck app. Either way, connections matter. And sometimes the writing community is basically LinkedIn with more umph!

We all think our first drafts are pure genius—until someone gently points out that our epic plot twist was visible from space. Feedback helps you see what’s working and what’s… not. It’s like barbells for your writing muscles: maybe not fun, but good for you.

You may think your subplot about a haunted blender is genius. But then your beta reader points out that it hijacks the main plot and now your protagonist is secondary to a kitchen appliance. Feedback = clarity. Also, possibly fewer haunted blenders.

There’s nothing like someone saying, “I loved this part!” to make you feel like the literary rockstar you are. And when they say, “This could be stronger,” it stings a bit—but it’s the good kind of sting. Like writer push-ups.

Yes, it’s your baby. But sometimes your baby needs a diaper change and you can’t smell it. Feedback isn’t an attack. It’s a gift. A sometimes blunt, occasionally brutal, beautifully wrapped gift of “fix this so readers don’t have to.”

You want help? Give help. Karma works in critique too. Be kind, be clear, and never respond with, “This is trash,” unless it’s followed by, “…but here’s how to recycle it into gold.”

Writing is a wild ride. One day you’re Shakespeare. The next, you’re convinced your dog could write better dialogue. That’s why community and feedback matter. They ground you, challenge you, and remind you that no one creates brilliance in a vacuum.

So go forth, writer! Join a group. Give a critique. Accept a suggestion and give a little back on the way.