When Nancy, my good friend and writing buddy, had two plays selected for an evening of ten one-acts, virtually our whole writing group turned out to support her. We all squeezed into her car and set off in search of entertainment — and we definitely found it!

Nancy’s plays, one light-hearted and one serious, were great to see up on a stage; they were sharp and polished. So were several other entries. One was a witty, slapstick family comedy; another a farce that had one writer bumping off another and then dedicating a stolen work to him. They were written by and starred the students, alums, staff, and faculty of a local county college.

The kids performing were having a great time and brought lots of sparkly energy to the stage — and there was real talent shining through their performances. The playwrights weren’t afraid to tackle huge themes in 10-minute bites: Alzheimer’s, Nazi Germany, and family betrayal, to name a few.

Watching the plays, I was struck by the encouraging idea that whatever else is happening in the world, there are people everywhere who love words and have a yearning to share them. And there’s just so much raw talent out there, just waiting to blossom.

After the plays, we all piled back into Nancy’s car and headed to a local restaurant. There, over wine, beer, and garlic shrimp, we talked about our projects, plays we had seen, and books we were reading. We raised a glass to Nancy and toasted her success.

Heading home, we talked more about books and movies we loved and made up a mock list of writers we wouldn’t accept into our writing group. It was a fun, festive Friday evening filled with laughter. All this sparked two thoughts: it’s really important to find writing buddies who share your love of words and once you find them, to stick together and celebrate each other’s progress. Write on!