The very first thing that was taught at the Realm Makers writer’s conference was what stuck with me the longest. At the beginning of her workshop, bestselling author Tosca Lee said:

“The most important thing to take away from a writer’s conference is connections with other people.”

She talked about how the unique environment of a Christian conference made it into a community that’s more like a family than merely a professional gathering. Ultimately, a week later, that’s still the most persistent thing that’s stuck with me. Realmies are like new family members I got all at once.

When I arrived at the hotel on the first day, I came alone. There were some people I knew that were coming, but it wouldn’t be for several hours later. So, being the extrovert I am, I struck up conversation with some fellas hanging around the lobby. Little did I know, someone else took a picture of those interactions:

I’m the tall guy in the black shirt. Facing me is Steve Rsaza, a sci-fi author who I got to talk with quite often during RM. Really great guy, one who I’d already known before the conference that I wanted to chat with. He would later sit down with me for a mentor appointment and help me navigate the challenge of writing believable future technology. The group of guys to the right is Andrew Hamlet, J.J. Johnson, and Josh Smith. Another great bunch of fellas that opened their circle of friendship to me.

I have so many other stories like that from the conference. Groups of established friends who had room for one more. Folks I’d only known online through the RM Facebook group, who were even cooler people in person. Fellow newbies and first time authors who were excited to learn, and to whom no one was a stranger.

“We read [and write] to not feel alone and so weird.”

During our time there, I also spent a lot of time with these friends: Stephen & Lacy Burnett and Austin Gunderson, who together run Lorehaven magazine, which reviews Christian-made speculative novels. Also Travis & Tabetha Perry. Travis writes for Speculative Faith and runs Bear Publications. Stephen and Austin are also working on debut novels.

I’d already known Stephen and Lacy since we live only a few miles apart, but the others quickly become new friends. We had rich conversations every morning and evening about all manner of things related to writing craft, publishing and theology. I never got my fill from talking with these guys, which is probably why I didn’t sleep enough.

The community that I found and developed at Realm Makers was an amazing thing. Here were three hundred other crazy people like me. We’re creating fantastical worlds and exploring strange ideas, all for God’s kingdom and His glory. All the while, we’re locking arms and battling together through the challenges that faces all writers. (And I could write a whole separate post about my awesome critique group).

I realized that one of the biggest mistakes I had made, going into the business of novel writing, was assuming it was a solitary venture.

Since writing is not an art form like filmmaking (which is highly collaborative), I assumed it was something akin to painting. But the reality is a novel writer needs a community to create truly beautiful art: critique partners, research experts, editors, designers, and marketing experts. Additionally, you simply need to know other writers, to learn from them for every step of the process, and to give and receive encouragement. I’ve found exactly this kind of community through Realm Makers.

I used to think writing was a lonely endeavor. Now, I can’t imagine trying to doing this alone.