RNA girlfriends - thank you x

Ever snorted aloud during the world’s dullest meeting because the character is your head said something funny? Or stared and was caught trying to describe the walk of the hip wiggling woman trotting in front of you? Just two of my many gaffs made in real life as my fictional world swirls about my brain. Seriously, they are all in the interest of writing. What I do mind or struggle with is their occurrence being witnessed by a Wruggle (similar to JKR’s Muggle but a none writing person – copyright applied for) who has no idea what I’m doing and why. An awkward silence usually occurs, before they begin joking about my antics, at which point I feel the need to explain… which usually falls flat because of their Wruggle status. In some cases my explanation makes the situation far worse in a ‘you freak, you write, you never said!’ kind of fashion. This is why I love, and I mean that in the deepest chickmance kind of way, my RNA girlfriends… I don’t need to explain my gaffs to them, they get it, they do it too… much worse in some cases!

Yesterday was one such RNA afternoon, where I got to spend a couple of hours with the ones that truly understand: RNA Birmingham Chapter. Thank God they get it, do it and willingly share their own gaffs which renew and boost my energy tanks on a Saturday afternoon at Birmingham Museum’s Edwardian tearoom.

In a space of two hours we laughed about living with a dashing young cavalier (imagery, of course), heard an abundance of good news from members and all swooned at The bath scene* in a member’s recent publication - which had its very own hashtag by the end of the day!

I came home, as always, bursting with writing energy and eager for Thursday’s RNA Summer party in London so I can fill my boots with even more of their hilarious tales and vibrant personalities.

And how did I come by such support and girlfriends? That’s simple, three years ago I vowed to take my writing seriously,  so I joined the association dedicated to my genre ‘The Romantic Novelists’ Association’. I’d advise any writer to seek out their genre association and join - the benefits are immediate and far exceed any membership fee, honestly.

If I hadn’t joined the RNA – I’d still be writing (I wouldn’t have given up) but I wouldn’t be at the stage I am now, that’s for sure. And the added bonus, I certainly wouldn’t have the writing girlfriends that I have and the countless writing friends gained through the association. In truth, excluding my family, my daily world wouldn’t be as lovely as it is.

*For a full description of The bathroom scene – you need to read Janice Preston's latest release 'From wallflower to countess'