A rather brief post on a gathering of writers.

Posted On June 19, 2023

I’m going to try to keep this brief. I feel like I should write up a post, though, especially since so many of my friends have been.

Two weeks ago I had a crazy, surreal experience. I’ve been a part of an online writing community for about three years now, since early 2020. We all got to know each other pretty well over the past three years, and often talked about one day meeting in person….

And two weeks ago, it finally happened. It still doesn’t feel real yet, to be honest.

Something that stuck out to me over those three days we were all together was just how beautiful community can be.

Of course, at first it was just weird. Like all these people I knew online – they were all right here. They had faces and arms and legs and feet. We could smile and hug and dance and swordfight and hike together. We could laugh together. We could be together.

And we all had something in common – we all love to write.

I loved a lot of things about those three days. But one moment that especially stands out was when we had an Author Read Aloud. All of us were invited to select a piece of writing to read aloud around the firepit one night. It was so amazing to watch all these writers, all who are of different ages and levels of experience, show such bravery and confidence to read their stories to us.

We also had an afternoon of English Country Dancing – and I simply cannot effectively describe how much fun it was (laughter! sweat! achy feet!).

I know I’m not conveying it well enough through this post – but to those of you who were there, you know what I’m talking about. Something in the air shimmered. Something beautiful took place in that Nashville park, something that has us all filled with such bittersweet joy and longing now that it’s over.

It’s not an experience I’ll forget anytime soon.

And the craziest thing??!!

Since we got home last Wednesday, I haven’t been able to stop writing.

Seriously. I think I’ve written over 20,000 words in the last two weeks.

I wrote (hehe) a 12,000 (yes, twelve thousand) word account of our Gathering, which took me about four days. And then, because my amazing sister Anna won’t get off my case, I decided to power through and finish the novel I’ve been halfway-working on since November of 2021. (I’m on track to finish it this week. This is insane, y’all. We’re gonna have a party. Maybe I’ll post about it.)

That’s pretty much all I had to say. It seemed fitting to write about our Gathering, simply because it was such a beautiful, astonishing event in my life. I know that those of you who weren’t there probably don’t care that much, but for those of you who were – you know. It was really something.

I’m grateful for the experience, but I’m more grateful for you guys, my friends.

This one’s for you.

Until next time —

Abby

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You can find my friends’ posts on the Gathering by following the links below. And I have to give these girls a shoutout. They are all beautiful, amazing young women, and their writing is worth your time. Make sure to follow their blogs if you don’t already.

Community and Home

A Gathering of Friends and a Shared Truth

Camaraderie Through Stories And…Sword Fights?

Timelessness in Gathering

Where Homes Converge — Summer Series!