WRITING IS A DOOR THAT OPENS TO…
Meeting others. In my desire to do my best to write that one
novel that will expose me to a larger audience I searched around my city for a
writers group. I found a few and I joined them all. Maryland Writers
Association, The Romance Writers (I just hang out a few of their meetings), The
Columbia writers group (I found them off of www.meetup.com) , the Black Writer’s Guild, Mid-Atlantic Book
Publishers, and Independent Book Publishers Association, Critique Circle, AbsoluteWrite.com/forum
and YaLitchat.org. All of
which I joined not to meet people but to learn about writing. But throughout the
years I’ve met tons of amazing and best-selling authors who’ve further inspired
the best from me.
Speaking Platforms. Did you know you don’t have to be a
bestselling author to get speaking gigs? Well you don’t. Matter of fact,
sometimes you don’t necessarily even have to have anything published. You can
support others to becoming published and be able to speak about this. I never
knew this before I started speaking and touring for my books. I have met people
who have spoken at events (maybe for free or even sometimes paid) that support
the art of writing by being a long standing board member of writerly
organizations, being a freelance editor who edit books of other authors, or
someone that organizes and promotes authors and such. Sometimes just starting to
write something and exposing yourself to people in the business gains you
knowledge that you can share on the speaking circuit.
Gives you something to talk about. I’ve met quite a few
writers that have been writing their novel for over 5yrs or even more. They
sometimes admit that they may never finish but love to just write. They often
share their challenges with their writing and their triumphs and from one author
to another I totally understand that writing is like putting together a puzzle.
Some people like to finish it, others like to widdle at it. But in both cases,
it is pleasurable and freeing.
Can Support Other Goals. There are many people in my day time
career and some of my peers that love their career areas in medicine,
engineering and social services. They’ve found it a necessity to have a
published work to support their speaking or to give to peers on their subject
matter. Many of them don’t like to write. But they’ve worked with writing
coaches to help them write books, pamphlets, support documents and white papers
to share. Sometimes this has turned into a profitable venture for them. Believe
it or not, many of these folks self-publish their materials and make a pretty
penny on speaking and selling these items to their guest.
SO….
With all I’ve shared about writing and being an author, what
has just putting pen to paper have exposed you to? Or grown in you? Are you a
Blogger who has a following or a writer who’ve met great friends in your journey
or a student who wrote a story that moved your class. Please
share.
by: LM Preston, www.lmpreston.com author of Purgatory Reign, Thundering Luv, The Pack series, Bandits series and Explorer X series.
