Part #3 of our chat with author @lizbasswriter LUV: Are you part of an author community? If yes, how did you find it and what makes it valuable to you? Liz: If there’s one thing I wish I’d learned earlier in my career, it’s how important and helpful it is to reach out to other authors. I now belong to several author groups in the United States and Canada (I’ve lived in both countries) and serve on my local executive board of Sisters in Crime. Writing is a solitary activity and the publishing world can seem perplexing and sometimes harsh—you need friends to help you through the weeds. Writer groups can give you information about every step of the process: tips about writing craft, advice on submitting to agents and publishers, opportunities such as contests and grants, how to manage finances…I could go on and on. Also, sometimes the people in your “real” life won’t understand why you persist in pursuing a craft that can be so time-consuming, frustrating, and not always remunerative. Who understands this mania for spending so much time with the imaginary friends in your head? Other writers! We also understand how important it is to lift each other up, celebrate milestones, and also commiserate with setbacks. I’ve found author friends in three places: social media, through writer organizations I’ve joined, and at conferences I’ve attended. Large author organizations like Romance Writers of America and Sisters in Crime have branches all over, and they also have groups online for people who live in places where there’s no local chapter. Groups like these offer incredible resources, including online seminars, social media groups, and conferences. But my local library also has a small, active writers’ group. Reaching out can seem intimidating at first, but I’ve rarely met an author who wasn’t eager to connect with a fellow writer.

Posted by LUV Team at 2023-07-12 14:00:20 UTC