If you are a writer and you haven’t found a writing buddy yet, put down this blog and go get one. There is nothing like a dear friend who will tell you the truth in love, who will encourage you and gut-check you. Writing isn’t something we can do alone. We need a community. We need friends. We need accountability. We need–
Ba-DING!
Yep. When my phone makes that noise, I’m pretty sure it’s Olivia.
Not that I don’t have other friends. I’m blessed to be surrounded by a lot of wonderful people who are encouraging, talented, funny, and just plain fabulous.
But she is the one who is right there for me. And that’s a wonderful place to be.
Olivia Folmar Ard really ought to tick me off. She’s literally half my age, and she is writing her third book. I have not finished one yet. Her books bring me to tears, laughter, and rabid jealousy at her silky prose and perceptive stories.
She doesn’t tick me off, though. She absolutely inspires me.
We found each other when we were both administrators of an online writing group. It was something of a trying experience, and a few of us provided each other with mutual support. As we chatted, Olivia and I found out that we have a remarkable amount of things in common. We’re in happy marriages. We share the same faith. We majored in history, then English. Those and a thousand other incidental things and attitudes and beliefs.
It’s always extraordinary when you find a kindred spirit.
What has earned Olivia a coveted letter in my Blogging A to Z Challenge, though, is that she has become my dearest friend.
Sure, we spend a lot of time talking about writing. We run ideas by each other. We talk each other down from the ledge. (That’s mostly me on the ledge. She’s already been there and done that and bought the t-shirt on a lot of the issues I’m just now experiencing.)
But we also talk about our lives, our families, our jobs. Our crazy everyday experiences that start with, “So, this happened,” and end with, “LOL!”
She doesn’t mind that I’m a kooky old lady who doesn’t really know what I’m doing as I flail through the writing process. I don’t mind that she’s young and beautiful and brilliant and has her whole life ahead of her.
Well. I don’t mind too much, anyway.
So today is for you, Olivia. Thank you for being my writing bestie and my fitness bestie and my Facebook bestie and my bestie bestie. Love you!
Now y’all, go buy her books!
Becca MacLean Lyman 
So lovely! And so blessed to find a friendship like that! I give Olivia a thumbs-up, too.
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It is a blessing, thanks! ❤
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I’m officially jealous! LOL! I want an Olivia too.
Congratulations on finding a true friend … they are far and few between.
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That’s awesome you found a writing buddy within your group. There’s only so much that social media can provide. A live writing group can do so much more. It’s even cooler when you meet fellow authors. I had the opportunity to meet some published and budding writers this past week’s. I met them through Teitter, but it’s a lot more special when you meet them in person, offering advice and such.
G. R. McNeese from
Project Blacklight
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Still looking for a replacement for my former writing group. They were so helpful. It’s easy to get insular without some outside perspective.
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