26 Comments
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Michelle Bolanger's avatar

I haven't been around much this month as edits, launch preparations are kicking my behind, but I agree wholeheartedly with this post. Pagewake's writing community is the best I have ever been a part of. If you are looking for a community that actually makes a difference in your speculative fiction writing, THIS IS THE ONE! Thank you, Cae!!

Cae Hawksmoor's avatar

Thanks so much, Michelle! How are the edits and launch preparations going? That sounds so exciting!

Michelle Bolanger's avatar

It’s going well! The hardscape of it is done now so I feel like I can breathe a bit.

Cae Hawksmoor's avatar

It’s amazing to see you out there and crushing it! I can’t wait until your book launch 🤩

Robin F Pool's avatar

I am so glad you are having this wonderful experience. You are inspiring me that maybe I could finally learn to run a room I actually enjoy! Isn't it great when life shows us our "one bad experienced defines the entire genre" beliefs are wrong?

Cae Hawksmoor's avatar

It really is! Also you could definitely run your own space. I had literally zero experience when I started and it's worked out for the best. I'm rooting for you!

Robin F Pool's avatar

Thank you! I am so glad you are succeeding!

Kelly Courtez's avatar

You turned your bad experience into a good one that benefits so many people you might not have reached if you didn't power through it! 💪👏

Cae Hawksmoor's avatar

Thanks so much, Kelly! I appreciate this so much 🩶

Tatum Tiernagan's avatar

I'm so sorry for your bad experience, but I'm so happy to read that you can also have great experiences in a writer community.

Cae Hawksmoor's avatar

Thanks so much! It's been a real journey

WrittenByStacey's avatar

Thank you for sharing this experience, for putting it into words, and for creating a place where people can feel at home. It truly sounds like a blissful place to be for every writer.

Cae Hawksmoor's avatar

It’s definitely been an incredible experience so far. And thank you so much for your kind words. They made my evening!

Tiffany Burnette's avatar

I can’t seem to post here without accidentally commenting before I’ve finished typing lol! Thank you for giving us writers a space that feels so nurturing and positive and a place where we can truly be vulnerable without feeling like we’re being judged. It’s truly a special place 🖤

Cae Hawksmoor's avatar

Thanks so much, Tiffany. I’m so grateful to have you as part of this community, and that it’s brought us together!

Now my deadline is over, I’m excited to get back to Perfect and expanding my dark romance horizons 😁

Tiffany Burnette's avatar

I hope you like it as much as I do! 🖤

Cae Hawksmoor's avatar

I only got a couple of chapters in before the chaos hit, but even just in that small amount of time the quality of the writing was 🤌

Tiffany Burnette's avatar

Right?! I thought so too!

Tammy B's avatar

🌸😊

E.R.Dyal's avatar

I'm glad some good came out of that trying experience. Negative feedback like that can really affect someone for years, but I'm glad you kept moving, even if it wasn't the direction you intended to choose. Life is like that though as long as we keep moving, keep that little spark inside us alive. I guess I've always preferred "Its always darkest before the dawn" over "keep going, things will get better." Through our darkest periods something wonderful and bright emerges when we least expect it and I'd say you made something very bright and wonderful.

Cae Hawksmoor's avatar

That’s so true. There’s not much that can’t be fixed by persisting through it, and darkness can give way to the most incredible new life

Solara Slays's avatar

Lovely piece. Thanks for sharing this. Do the live workshops take place on Discord?

Cae Hawksmoor's avatar

They do! We have a Stage channel set up for them there. They happen the last Thursday of every month (there's one tomorrow!) with the time decided by the writer who's story we're workshopping, and a recording available afterwards for anyone who can't make it

Mindy Kinnaman's avatar

I completely understand that fear you held. My jump into sharing writing was similar. I can't hear the words "trite" and "pedantic" without my pulse picking up. But I'm glad you found your community, and I appreciate this group you've put together. You are everything a good writer and advocate should be. We're all in this together.

Cae Hawksmoor's avatar

Thank you so much for your kind words, you really made my evening. I'm so sorry you had a similar experience. I cannot stand people who tear others down. They are the absolute worst

J.A. Evans's avatar

It's a great diverse group. I'm glad to be a part of it.