Whatever your writing goals are, you'll get there faster with support. It can be tough to know where to turn, though ... and that's why I put together this list to help you think through the people in your life (or people you might be able to find) who can help you on your writing journey.

Note: You don't need every type of person on this list. Even if you just have one or two people supporting you, that can make a big difference.

Adults You Live With

If you live with any other adults (or perhaps even helpful teenagers!) then they can help you in practical ways. That might be something as simple as providing the space and quiet for you to write. If you have kids or dependents, other adults can also help out by providing care for them to give you time to write.

Fellow Writers

Other writers are a fantastic source of both emotional support and direct writing-related support. They can cheer you on and encourage you, but they can also help out with all sorts of things like coming up with a title, finding the right markets to submit to, or knowing what freelance rates to charge.

Beta Readers

Beta readers are (usually) non-professionals who read your work and give you feedback. They might be keen readers of your genre, or they could be fellow writers (in which case you might be swapping manuscripts or parts of a work-in-progress for mutual feedback).

Writing Mentors

At some stage in your writing journey, you'll likely have some kind of mentor. This may well be someone you pay, like a writing coach or an editor. They'll likely provide more "big picture" support than beta readers (e.g. advising on the publishing process).

Supportive Friends

Hopefully, you have friends and/or family members who love you and support you ... even if they aren't writers themselves. They might help with practical things like childcare, or they may help simply by being there, taking an interest, and perhaps sharing their own goals and progress.

Non-Fiction Authors or Speakers

Even if you don't have a personal writing mentor, you can get some of the same benefits through the blogs, books, podcasts, etc of non-fiction authors or speakers. They might write about writing itself (like I do on Aliventures) or they might cover something else, like goal setting or time management, that's helpful to you.

Got any of these people in your life already? Is there a way you could reach out for help and support? Even just grabbing a coffee with a kind and encouraging friend could help boost your spirits and spur you on towards your goal.

Spotlight On: Seven Ways to Get Other People to Respect Your Writing Time

Sometimes, it might feel like not only is there no one to help you, there are people in your life who are actively getting in the way of your writing goals.

If that's the case for you, you have my sympathies and my sincere wishes that the people around you shape up! In the meantime, you may need to find ways to defend your writing time. Here are some practical things to try:

Seven Ways to Get Other People to Respect Your Writing Time

Happy writing,

Ali