Not too long ago I got to do a takeover and spotlight on a page called Booksurfer Bog on Facebook. I was nervous. It had been years since I had done a takeover of any kind and I have no giveaway items so playing games wasn't something I could really do. I have no idea how to make memes like the other authors so it was just going to be me posting and asking questions, hoping someone would take pity on me and respond.
They did. It started slow but as time went on people got more involved and began responding to my questions which opened up the opportunity for discussion. It wasn't the nerve-racking experience I had anticipated but instead an introduction to a new group I could interact with. I love going to live events because I can network with other authors but this was the most welcoming online community I had found outside of the Indies in Las Vegas (a group I actually met in person first).
The most important thing I have discovered in the development of this writing community is that no one can do it alone so having that base of support can be vital. When we get together to chat about recent or up coming book shows there is always someone with insight the rest of us hadn't considered. We share new shows that others may not know about and tell each other about our upcoming releases. It is a network of sharing that leads to strengthening each of us individually as well as the group as a whole.
Having a personal team is great. I have a creative / artistic director, a manager and others that flow in and out as needed. Many authors I know have street teams, also known as fan or reader clubs, but there is nothing that compares to a group of fellow writers. We can celebrate and commiserate together in a way no one outside our world would understand. It is a group I am proud to be a part of and more importantly to support. The Indies group I belong to even went so far as to put on the charity event my partner and I headed up earlier this year. All authors were members of our group and we decided the details of the show at one of our coffee meetings. These are just a few reasons it is so important to have that connection. If you are thinking about becoming, or already are, a writer I highly recommend a writer's group so you can build that network as well.
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