My two cents…
One thing I wish I’d done a lot sooner in my
writing career is to seek out other writers. I didn’t feel that my lack of
connection to a writing community was such an awful thing when I was writing
for my own pleasure, though surely even then it would have been helpful. But once
I decided that I wanted to publish, knowing other writers really would have
come in handy. Instead, I started submitting stories, no beta readers or kindly
mentors or any idea of what I was doing. And really I have no excuse for that.
There are so many wonderfully supportive writing groups out there that if I’d
only looked around a little bit, I wouldn’t have gone into the whole publishing
thing so unprepared.
If you’re a romance writer like me, the RWA (Romance
Writers of America) is an incredible resource, not only for established writers
but also for people just starting out. There are a lot of great local groups
who meet in person to discuss the industry, bring in guest speakers and have
workshops.
There are also a ton of online groups where you
can get to know other writers. If you’re a new-ish writer, Absolute Write is a
good place to start. You can participate in Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing
Month) which takes place during the month of November. They have an active
forum section and can put you in touch with local writers who often meet up
during the month for write-ins. You can follow your favorite authors on social
media to see how they manage the writing and business side of things. You can
also participate in writer blog hops like Weekend Writing Warriors with Teresa
and me. I’ve met a bunch of wonderful authors through that group and it’s a lot
of fun, too. J
Finding
your tribe is such an important and satisfying thing. I really wish I’d started
looking sooner.
***
Eleri Stone
is a RITA-nominated author of paranormal and fantasy romance. She was born in
New Jersey, but now lives in Iowa with her husband and their three children.
All of her stories have some element of speculative fiction in them and they
all end with a happily-ever-after.
Yes, beta readers and critique groups are such a bonus to the writer. They really help your writing develop. And also, the sense of community becomes a real support.
ReplyDeleteYes! It was a surprise to me how wonderfully supportive most writing groups are and how willing people are to share knowledge and advice:)
DeleteI can't agree more. I've seen some competitive, even jealous type communities online, but not amongst writers. I'm always so proud to be part of that--and so glad I reached out to other writers.
DeleteGreat advice, Eleri.
Thanks for visiting, Elizabeth!
I didn't reach out to the writing community until my first novel was done and (I thought) I was ready to query. You could say I found a critique group just in the nick of time.
ReplyDelete:-) The important thing is that you found the group. I'm glad you reached out! Thanks for visiting. :-)
DeleteI didn't query my first novel, but it was probably more because I didn't know what to do with it than because I didn't think it was amazing. lol That one's going to remain buried.:)
Deletegreat advice and the writing community is a very welcoming one
ReplyDeleteWe are all way to close to our own work to be objective about it, and people close to us are likely to be uncritically supportive. It's vital to find people who'll say what we need to hear, rather than what we want to hear :)
ReplyDeleteConstructive critique is where it's at, for me. The first group I joined nailed me to the wall and left me hanging. WEWRIWA is a breath of fresh air. Good two cents, Eleri.
ReplyDelete