Why Writers Need A Community

As a writer, my community is what helps to sustain me through craziness. I have several communities I utilize. Being a wahm requires that I work alone without the water cooler and that can leave you feeling isolated. A community can help you find out what's going on in the industry, give you leads about jobs, warnings about scams and problems with potential buyers, a hand for overflow work if you become swamped and it can help you have a water cooler environment to vent, to learn and to feel like you have colleagues. It can take the isolation out of being in front of the computer every day.

I have a friend, colleague and I work for her as well that at least a few times a week we have an email conversation about our workload or family life. It's a great thing! I have a forum I visit a few times a day to read about the life of other working writers who are balancing the juggling act. I have a Thursday night chat with a team of writers that all collaborate on a project. Sometimes we spend half our meeting having a fun chat as well as talking business. I also blog at a great community that shares resources and provides revenue sharing.

Here are a few links to some of my communities. I know there are many writing groups out there and you should find one or more if you are serious about writing for a living. Feel free to join any of the ones I've mentioned below.

Communati, a great great blogging community. I'm marleymauve over there. The owner Mark Whitbeck is the best community blog owner I've seen so far. Not only does he give more revenue sharing than many but he is an active member in the community unlike some others. This results in problems being resolved faster and the community's wishes being actually listened to!

Inspired Author is a place I am a topic editor for. I have a blog there, read other writer blogs and several of us post within a specific topic such as:
How To Write A Novel
Self Promotion
Get Started (This is my topic!)
Fantasy Writing
Freelance Writing
and there are other topics as well. There are free friday night workshops as well that are hosted by an array of people in the industry. (Friday night at 7:pm est)

Novel-Writer.com is a growing and still under construction community but is definitely a great place to visit and share. There's a great forum there too that I moderate at.

Find yourself a few communities to hang out at and you'll find you're getting more leads, more industry information and feeling like part of a community which can take the isolation out of working at home.

Cheers,
Dana