sallymurphy.com.au

Sally Murphy, Australian author

Article Reprint: 5 Reasons To Join an Online Writers Community

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This is an article I wrote last year, but which is still relevant Enjoy!
5 Reasons To Join an Online Writers Community
You’re a writer? Great – me too! But try telling your family and friends about your writing and they might smile proudly, or grin patronisingly, or even laugh a little. The truth is, few people who aren’t writers really understand the highs and lows of the writing life, no matter how supportive they might be of your goals. It takes other writers to truly understand the frustration of a story arc that just won’t arc or a character who is misbehaving, or to understand that a rejection might in fact be a positive one because the editor took the time to scribble a comment on the bottom of the standard reply.

So, where do you find other writers to connect with? One way is to join an online writing community. This could be in the form of a chat group, message board, online forum, an email group through a service such as Yahoo Groups or membership of a social networking site such as Facebook, where you can link into interest groups. There are, for example, forums at websites write4kids and Verla Kay, as well as numerous writing groups at Yahoogroups (put writer into the search box and you’ll find hundreds of results).

Belonging to one or more of these groups has lots of benefits.

You’ll meet other writers and be able to swap stories – sharing highs and lows. Being able to vent frustrations is wonderful – but being able to celebrate a success (yours or a colleague’s) is even better. A non-writer may not understand your need to celebrate a completed manuscript, when you haven’t yet found a publisher, but a fellow writer will want to share cyber-bubbles with you.
You can exchange information. Calls for manuscripts, movement of editors, contact details for publishers and editors, contract advice and more can be exchanged. Exchange of such information can save hours of searching all over the internet.
You can make connections – with illustrators, editors, critique groups and more. My membership of an MSN Group led to my connecting with a critique group. All the other members are based in the US and I’ve never met them – but three of my manuscripts have been accepted after my critique group’s input.
You can learn from others. From how to find ideas, to how to give a character life, through to how to write a cover letter and more. There are always people who have tried things you may not have thought of, and who will willingly give you some advice.
Last, but certainly not least, you can make friends. Many of the people I’ve met through online writing communities have become real life friends. Some I have still to meet, but others I have met up with at conferences, or for coffee when we’ve happened to be in the same city. Some I have chatted to on the phone, and others by email or in chat rooms. We’ve celebrated the births of babies, weddings, anniversaries, and we’ve shared sad times such as deaths, cyclones, thefts. Not writing-related but a very real, very wonderful benefit.

There are, of course, some risks to consider in joining a community. Keeping up with hundreds of emails or logging in to chat rooms, or checking message boards can be time consuming. That is why it is best to find one or just a couple of communities rather than trying to join them all.

Sharing work online in public forums is another risk – as well as the risk that someone might appropriate your work, you also run the risk of losing first rights – because online publication means your work has been published. Any critiquing or manuscript exchange should be done privately and with a limited number of participants.

Remember, too, that not every group will suit your needs. Some may expect a particular level of experience or a particular time commitment. Others may be too chatty for you – or not chatty enough. If a community doesn’t meet your needs move on and try another.

Lastly, consider what you are prepared to give. A community relies on active participation. You should be prepared to give as much as you get. This active exchange of information, advice, experience, and compassion is what makes a community work.

Some starting points to find a writers group for you:
http://groups.yahoo.com/
http://groups.msn.com/
http://groups.google.com/?pli=1
http://www.write4kids.com/cgibin/discus/discus.cgi
http://www.verlakay.com/boards/index.php

Seven Answers to Seven Questions: Simon Rose

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1. Tell us a little about your publication credits. If you have none, tell us about the genres you prefer to write, and your current projects.


The Doomsday Mask 2009, The Heretic’s Tomb 2007, The Emerald Curse 2006, The Clone Conspiracy 2005, The Sorcerer’s Letterbox 2004, The Alchemist’s Portrait 2003, The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction Volume One 2007 (Contributing author)

2. How long have you been writing for children?


Around ten years, I think.

3. How much time do you spend each week writing and/or revising? And how much time on other writing-related tasks such as promotion, researching markets and so on?


I am a full time author and writer, and also run school programs and conduct workshops for both children and adults throughout the year, plus summer camps in July and August. I would estimate that over 70% of my time is currently devoted to activities other than writing.

4. How much time do you spend reading children’s books? And what are you reading right now?


I usually read a lot, especially if I have chosen as a juror for a children’s book award, which has occurred in the last couple of years. In 2007, I read over 200 books as a juror for the Governor General’s Award for Children’s literature in Canada and was a juror for the Saskatchewan Book Awards in 2008. I am currently a juror for the Sunburst Awards for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic and am reading lots of books for adults in the sf/fantasy genre.
5. What advice would you give other would-be children’s writers, or share with other professional children’s writers?


Writing is in some ways the easy part. It can be a very long process not only to write a book, but also to get it published. A book is a marathon measured in years rather than weeks or months. Don’t be afraid to revise and revise over and over again. Most authors go through many revisions before their work reaches its final format. Remember too that your book will never be to everyone’s taste, so don’t be discouraged. A firm belief in your own success is often what’s necessary. After all, if you don’t believe in your book, how can you expect other people to? Read as much as you can and write as often as you can. Keep an ideas file, even if it’s only a name, title, sentence or an entire outline for a novel. You never know when you might get another piece of the puzzle, perhaps years later. You also mustn’t forget the marketing. You may produce the greatest book ever written. However, no one else is going to see it if your book doesn’t become known to potential readers. Be visible as an author. Do as many readings, signings and personal appearances as you can. Get your name out there and hopefully the rest will follow. Especially for newly published authors, books don’t sell themselves and need a lot of help.

6. What is your favourite online resource for children’s writers? Why?


I’m not sure I have a favourite, but would recommend the National Writing for Children Centre at http://writingforchildrencenter.com/cwcc/, the forums at SCBWI, if you are a member, and a couple of the yahoo writers groups I belong to.

7. Do you have a website or blog? What else do you do to promote your published works and/or your writing skills?

My website has a wealth of information on my books, school programs, author in residence program, how to obtain autographed copies of my books, awards, events, festivals and book signings, informs readers about my services for writers such as manuscript critiques, coaching, editing, copywriting for websites, online and in person workshops for children and adults, plus much more.
Website: http://www.simon-rose.com/
Blog: http://simon-rose.blogspot.com/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TipYYEIgOtE
Ezines: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert_bio=Simon_Rose
Online bookstore: http://www.simon-rose.com/orderform.php
My Space: http://www.myspace.com/thesorcerersletterbox
I’m also on Facebook, Goodreads, Jackflap, Booktour and a host of other sites, a member of professional writing organizations such as CANSCAIP, Writers Union of Canada, SCBWI, SF Canada and a few others, plus a number of online listservs and forums and run a column each week on tips for writers at the National Writing for Children Centre at http://writingforchildrencenter.com/cwcc/, where I also run teleclasses on a monthly basis.
Thanks for dropping in, Simon.
If YOU write for children and would like to be interviewed here, drop me a line at sally @ sallymurphy.net (remove the spaces).

Hot Writing Link:Holly Black’s writing Resources

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There are so many wonderful online resources for children’s writers, but it isn’t always easy to work out which ones are worthwhile. Today’s hot writing link is to a wonderful list of online resources, compiled by Holly black. What’s so great about this list is that Holly has categorised the list so methodically, by using common questions from new writers, and providing the best link or links to answer the question. check out Holly’s resource here.
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