Sunday 15 May 2011

Join a Group and Save your Life

As a result of problems with Blogger some of your much appreciated comments have disappeared. I have reposted my responses to them and only hope that Blogger will reinstate them soon.




I was at my lunch/book group the other day (yes, it’s ladies who lunch again!) and my writer friend, Josephine, said that she’d read about a study which proves that there are health benefits to being a member of a group. I googled it and it’s true (allegedly).

I often go on about the benefits of belonging to a writing group but I didn’t realise it was good for your health as well as your writing. It’s apparently to do with social interaction and mutual support networks.

I do belong to quite a few groups (so fingers crossed this theory works!) The lunch/book group is made up of writers, illustrators and other interested people. We meet once a month to discuss a book... and eat. It’s one of those ‘bring a dish and put it on the table’ type of lunches and the food it always amazing. (One day we’re going to write a book of all our recipes!) And Josephine is right. The benefits of this group go way beyond discussing writing issues or the monthly book chat. We support each other, share personal problems, give each other a boost when things aren’t going too well.

I haven’t done much real writing recently, especially during Mum’s final illness, but I came home from Monday’s lunch feeling inspired. I had a story (8,500 words aimed at 7 to 9 year olds) that was almost finished and was sitting gathering ‘dust’ in the pending file of my computer since March 2010. I opened it up, finished it off and I’ve submitted it to a publisher. It will probably come straight back but, as I’m always saying, you can’t get your work published if you never send it out. So, loads of thanks to my lunch/book group. You’ve helped me out yet again.

Another group that I now feel well and truly a part of are the Bloggers. This week I have been given two awards so thank you to K.C. Woolf from The Woman Condition for the Versatile Blogger Award,


and San from Informed Sharing for the 7 Facts Sunflower Award.


I know, I know, I now have to list 7 things about myself. They’re going to be quick and snappy to here goes:

1.  I love chatting with friends.
2.  I hate driving distances.
3.  I love cats and dogs.
4.  I hate mustard.
5.  I love playing Bridge.
6.  I hate flying.
7.  I love chocolate (of course!)

Now I’m going to pass the 7 Facts Sunflower Award on to some bloggy people who shared those hectic April A to Z days with me:

Manzanita at Wanna Buy a Duck
Sandy Axelrod at Food and Fond Memories
Duncan D. Horne at Our home called Kuantan
Misha at My First Book