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If you recall your middle school history class, there were three distinct periods in ancient history, each one defined by the material they used to make weapons.

The Stone Age came first. These weapons of stone were of course limited because stones are very heavy. They are also hard to shape if the only other tools you have are made of stone.

Then came the Bronze age, when people began mining tin and copper and then mixing them to create bronze. Bronze weapons were lighter and stronger than the ones made of stone, but they were no match for what came next.

That, of course, was the Iron Age. Any civilization that mastered iron production could dominate those who didn’t because their weapons were superior. 

There is an interesting verse from the book of Proverbs, which was written in the Middle East during the Iron Age. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” But what does this mean? Iron is a substance that can be made stronger when it is mixed with another material, such as carbon. Then it becomes steel. Put these two next to each other at just the right angle, and you will have a sharpening effect.

Have you ever thought about what it means for a knife or a sword to be sharp? It means the edge is very focused to a fine point. It means it can cut through lots of other things. It’s virtually unstoppable.

These are good words not just for miners or blacksmiths, but also for writers. There are lots of ways to get sharper in your craft. Reading books and practicing every day are two of the main ones.

However, nothing comes close to spending time with other writers who can take you much further than you can ever go on your own. Whether it’s a mastermind group, learning community, or just meeting with a friend for coffee on a regular basis, you must spend time with other writers who are generous, positive, and focused.

Here is the flip side of this equation: just as you need other writers, they need you, too. We all need each other. So if you’re not meeting regularly with other writers, make this priority #1 on your to-do list. 

Remember the movie “Iron Man” from 2008? Maybe we need a new superhero: Iron Writer. This is a hero who gets his strength from connecting with other writers. The more he connects, the more he serves and tries to help other writers, the stronger he gets.

But this isn’t just a comic book fantasy. You can be a real-life Iron Writer when you let other writing heroes into your life, and when you become a hero to other writers.