Get Yourself A Network

Are you new to writing fiction? Just starting to query agents and/or only now wrapping up your first novel?

It’s never too early to start building your network. In fact, you can do a little something every day to get it going. And help it grow.

Ten suggestions:

1. Volunteer for Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers or any writing organization near you. You will meet some experienced writers. (And you will feel good about supporting the organization and finding out how everything gets done.)
2. Join a national writer organization in your genre. Volunteer if possible.
3. Attend every writing-related class that sounds of interest. Get involved with Lighthouse Writers Workshop, for instance. All these pandemic-prompted online sessions make it easier than ever!
4. If you don’t have a writing group near you, start one. You’d be surprised how many writers are in your area—reach out through the local library, talk to local bookstores about who lives nearby. Heck, do a Google search for writers in your community. Meet, help each other, share ideas, etc.
5. Make it a point to review books. Post reviews on your own blog and/or the online sites. A few paragraphs means a lot. (And your reviews become a handy list of what you’ve read.) Occasionally, when you are so moved, drop the writer a personal note via their website email or social media, etc. They will love it. (Writing reviews is also a fun habit because it prompts you to think about what makes a book click.)
6. Attend the heck out of book-related events in your area. Make it a habit. Libraries. Bookstores. Pay attention to local online events, too. Attend, introduce yourself, ask questions, support others. Become a regular. Make friends. Chat with the booksellers, too.
7. Make yourself available to read the drafts of works-in-progress and provide feedback. Ask others if they will do the same for you.
8. Pick a social media platform and get good at it. You do NOT have to pay attention to all the noise and trash on Twitter (unless you want to). You can pare Twitter down to just writing-related conversations. Don’t know how? Ask me. Or someone. It’s easy. Make Twitter work for you. Twitter is full of writers and writing-related opportunities. Sign up for a few Facebook reading or writing groups.  (You can lurk in some before joining, to see if it’s your thing.)
9. Make a list of your favorite ten writers—the ones whose careers you want to emulate. Go to their websites. Take notes about their communications. Sign up for their newsletters, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, anywhere. Engage. Look for fan groups (if these are big-time writers). Again, engage. It might be more effective to look for ten under-the-radar writers you like and see what you can do to help boost their signal. Review. Drop them a line. And so on.
10. Write down how you would like your career to look in five years. Make a list of all the kinds of people you’d like to get to know as part of that journey. Will you need blurbs? Will you need a good developmental editor at some point? Or a marketing pro? Or someone to show you the ropes of independent publishing? Start reaching out. The book and writing world is a big place. There are lots of people around who would be willing to lend a hand. You might be surprised.