I've been blogging about how to write in a more literary fashion. It doesn't matter what kind of writing you're doing. You will want someone to help at most if not at every step. Some masters of the craft can just sit and write exactly the words they want with no one to help. But those are few and far between. Most people, even the best of writers, will need help to brainstorm, to edit, to beta read, to help you motivate yourself, etc. Few people can write without some help.
I don't know about you, but I run into a lot of writer's block. When it was just me trying to push forward, just me and that blank page, I was getting nowhere, and what I did produce was dull. I spent a lot of money trying to find different methods to push through that wall. Now, I have a writing buddy. If I run into a block, we talk it through. He knows the story as well as I do if not better, so the ideas fly back and forth. Writer's block doesn't last long with the creative juices flowing like that.
Furthermore, a writing buddy can help you keep on target with your goals. If you're accountable to someone, you're more likely to stay on target. It's like any exercise. If you're only responsible to yourself, it's easy to break promises, forget goals, and walk away. Having someone there to help you move forward will keep you on track, especially if you're both doing that for each other.
Lastly, a writing buddy can help with beta reading. If you're reading your story with someone or having someone read afterward, they can tell you what you forgot or somehow missed. It's easy to get confused and lose details. It's also easy for a character, plot point, setting, etc to sound clear and beautiful in your head. It takes someone outside your head to tell you that your character is a jerk, your setting is absent, and your character's sidekick has changed eye color three times.
Your writing buddy can be a friend, a family member, a writer's group, strangers in an online forum, or anyone else willing to help you push yourself forward, willing to help you brainstorm, basically, willing to help you be the best writer you can be. You can even have a different writing buddy for each part of this. Who is/are your writing buddy or buddies? If you don't have one, where can you find one?
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