Networking. I've
seen writers grimace at the mention of the word. They worry
it implies glad-handing, calculation, opportunism; they worry
that the word sounds corporate rather than creative. In truth,
however, networking is all about connection and relationships
that can enhance every aspect of your writing life--from the
personal (writing can be a lonely endeavor without writer-friends!)
to the professional (most writers want to help other
writers). Best of all, a good network of like-minded writers
supports us in leading a literary life.
We'll discuss various ways
of networking, including:
• Using online social
networks and blogs to interact with authors, agents, and other
people who love reading and writing.
• Attending writers conferences (and coming back with
a network instead of just presentation notes).
• Taking part in critique groups (both the online sort
and the kind that meet at a bookstore or in someone's kitchen).
• Joining writers' associations like CWC, attending readings
at bookstores, or even joining "real time" conversations
about books or writing through online resources like Tweetchat.
Tanya's debut novel, How
To Buy a Love of Reading, was published by Dutton in May
2009. A founding member of CWC Marin, an active participant
on several online social networks for writers, a member of a
critique group that has been together for over seven years,
and an alumna of The Community of Writers at Squaw Valley, she
couldn't imagine having made her ten-year journey to publication
without networks.
