Back in January I decided my word for 2014 is “Seek”. I put together a pretty good list of what that meant to me… things that I would seek this year that would help me continue to move forward toward my goals for my writing, my family, my artistic habits/hobbies.

One of the things I know I need to seek this year is Community. There are several communities I would like to create or build for myself…

girlfriends to hang out and be vulnerable and frustrated with, who can support me and laugh with me and encourage me as a woman;

professional women who can help expand my network of opportunities as a freelance writer in Northwest Arkansas;

writers who are actively pursuing submissions to literary journals, agents, book deals, short story publication, etc…

All three of these communities will end up crossing over a little into each other, but the last one is a little more specific.

Last month I subscribed to the e-newsletter sent out by the The Village Writing School in Eureka Springs, to keep up with classes they offer. Shortly after I signed up, I received one that mentioned their desire to create a writers’ group in NWA. Eureka Springs is only about 45 minutes away from me, but if I could save that drive – even better! I immediately let them know I’d be game.

Today is the first meeting of the group, and I am excited about the potential that is before me as a writer. The opportunity to listen to others read their work, have them offer critiques for my own, and just talk about the work and life of writing.

Of course, I’m fully aware that, while finding a new community today is what I’m expecting, it may not work out the way I hope for. In fact, I may find that the group is not a good fit for me and decide to keep looking. But that’s okay, because if I am following my focus of seeking, I can keep moving forward even as I put things that don’t work out behind me.

What are you doing today, or this week, to move closer to your goals for 2014?