Find Your Writing Community
The idealistic image of “the writer” is someone who sits in the cabin on the edge of a forest, writing into a void. Inspired by Emily Dickinson and Henry David Thoreau, or by whispers of that one bestseller that was originally scrawled out on napkins, first-time novelists often believe that the road to publication is supposed to be solitary.
For those of you nodding and smiling to yourselves, Yes, this is why I decided to become a writer, I’m here to tell you that it is not how you’ll become a published author.
The writer’s world may be reclusive, but the published author’s world is not. The moment you stop writing for self-reflection and start writing for an audience, you need a community of writers who have made the same jump. Take a look at the acknowledgements in your favorite recently published book. Authors need support, not just from their family, but from other writers, librarians, experts of the setting or culture that the author is writing about.
So how do you plug into that community?
Go to writing conferences. I met Fiery Seas’ own Misty Williams at a conference, and that connection led directly to A.M. Bostwick’s publishing deal. Conferences provide workshops, Q&A panels, and lots of other good resources. They also connect you to other writers, to agents like me, and to publishers like Misty. Conferences can be regional, genre-based, or hosted by a society, which leads me to…
Join a writing society. You’ve probably heard of the big ones: Romance Writers of America, Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Mystery Writers of America. These national societies offer monthly newsletters with invaluable advice, writing contests, and conferences. They also have regional chapters with their own features for chapter members. Other writing societies are local and appeal to various categories – women writers, writers over 50, working writers, poets, etc.
Join a critique group. It may take a few tries before you find a group that’s the right fit for you and the type of feedback you need, but once you do, this group will be your lifeline. Check with your local library, bookstore, or the English department at a nearby college to see if they know of any critique groups in town.
Find a beta reader. Find a critical reader or another writer interested in your genre that you can trade notes with on an entire manuscript. You can try critique partner match-ups online if you can’t find anyone locally. Exchange just 10 pages or so at first to make sure that you and your potential reader are at a similar level.
Network with book people. Get to know your local bookstore owners and the librarians. Hang out at coffee shops, go to readings and book signings, and generally try to be in the know about the literary happenings in your town.
You’ll find that you can clock in at the writer’s cabin (or that desk in your extra closet) and still make time to build your writing community. All of these steps will help you hone your storytelling craft, understand your market, and give you more confidence in talking about your work. When you arrive at a conference and pitch it to me in our tiny 5-minute window, you’ll spend less time mumbling nervously about how you haven’t shown it to anyone and more time talking about how your writing group loves your main character, which will naturally evolve into a flawless pitch.
I’m looking forward to it already.
Alice Speilburg
Literary Agent
As a literary agent, I help authors navigate the publishing industry. I stand by my clients as they consider media options, publication offers, contract negotiations, and platform improvements.
Before launching Speilburg Literary Agency, I worked at John Wiley & Sons and Howard Morhaim Literary Agency. I’m a dog-lover with a lab-aussie mix named Chomsky, and when I’m not reading or drinking bourbon, you might catch me playing the violin.
