Blogger: Rachel Kent
Location: Books & Such main office; Santa Rosa, Calif.
Another huge benefit for writers from the advancing technology is the ability to connect with other writers through online writers’ groups: ACFW, RWA, The Writer’s View and many more. These groups can provide so much for writers. Not only can you find critique groups and get almost-instant writing advice, but they are also places for a writer to find community. Writing is a lonely job. Some writers really enjoy the time away from family and the distractions of life, but it can become tiresome to sit alone in an office in front of a computer screen working toward a word-count goal.
Before the internet, writers would have to mail a manuscript to an editor to get feedback or personally take the manuscript to an editor nearby. My great-aunt was an aspiring author, and I have a manuscript of hers and a pile of stamped letters with feedback from editors, who rejected the manuscript for publication. It’s interesting to think that the editors probably had quite a lot less to do because submissions wouldn’t come in at such a rapid rate, and that’s why they spent the time on my great-aunt’s book and gave her some in-depth feedback. Books at that time were typewritten, so I assume less people were writing because it was such a process. (That’s one negative for writers caused by advancing technology: The competition has become greater because it’s much easier to write a book.) My great-aunt had no way to get instant feedback. It’s almost impossible for me to imagine such a thing because I have spent most of my life with access to the internet.
You all have an opportunity to connect online with writers. This is a gift and something to take advantage of. Perhaps if my great-aunt had had the opportunity to be a member of ACFW (or a similar group) she would have been published. I believe she would have at least had a greater chance.
How have online groups helped you in your writing career? Have you had any problems with them? I have heard that they can take up a lot of time, too. Have you had this problem?
I am a member of RWA and a fairly new member with ACFW. I plan to join some of the online groups with ACFW, because as you said, Rachel, writing can be a very lonely job. I do plan to limit the emails when I sign up because I don’t want to lose sight of my main goal which is to write, but I look forward to making new connections (no pun intended) and networking!
A few weeks ago, I dove into the ACFW Scribes (critique) group. It’s been really fun. I’ve never had the unusual experience of reading so many different stories at once! Critiquing is such an important process because, not only are you helping others to sharpen their skills and getting great feedback on your own work, you’re learning to read with a more editing eye. It’s much easier to learn this skill on someone else’s work than your own. Then you can take your new skills and start trimming up your baby. (At least, it’s always trimming for me. I suppose some writers need to beef up their ms during edits, but I can’t relate to that one. 🙂 )
Anyway, we’re extremely blessed to be able to do this so quickly and efficiently over the internet and email. If not for those methods of communication, I’d probably be a hermit writer, creating stories in my lonely little cave and waiting for letters from editors.
I’m enjoying this series. I remember typing on an old electric typewriter and using up correction ribbon by the hour. Let’s just say, I’m thankful for my PC!
Online writing groups do help me. I’m a member of several online Loops, and I’ve found that subscribing to a daily digest e-mail keeps my in-box from filling up and alerts me to new activity. I don’t see a downside, but I pick and choose which groups to be more active with. If I tried to keep up with them all equally, it would take too much time.
Writers’ groups–in person or online–keep me sane. I don’t know what I would do without them!
True, but it hasn’t gotten easier to write a GOOD one. 😉 The competition seems to lower an author’s chance of being noticed, but hopefully the cream still rises to the top eventually.
It’s true that my online critique group is a time investment, but the benefits FAR outweigh the effort. I have learned so much from my online writing friends!
Like with any group, an online one is only as good as the people in it.
The greatest benefit is that you can get the perspective of many different people from around the globe; with so many unique viewpoints, it gives a writer a better grasp of how different people absorb his or her writing.
However, I have noticed that the greatest drawback is that with the anonymity provided by the internet, people can occasionally act with much less class and maturity than what is proper when their work is being critiqued.
Can you recommend a good group for a non-fiction writer?
I started out with one online group, but that became inactive, which is a problem I’ve seen more than once. We were so busy for a while that we started a critique group. We also had a section where members posted their goals and offered support when it came to other people’s goals.
This is how I write out my weekly to-do lists, but since I wasn’t getting the motivation from such an inactive group, I started my own. We have members, but not a lot of participation. I’m hoping that will change as I keep promoting the group online.
I also run two online critique groups: one geared toward children’s books and the other has authors who write in a variety of genres.
It’s much easier for me to connect online than try to meet in person.
I never tried to get published before the internet because I’m a terrible typist.
I’m in some good online writers’ groups, including The Writers View and an area SCBWI one, and find them helpful, but some other groups I’ve tried weren’t well moderated and were more trouble than they were worth.
I have recently joined a couple of online associations, but don’t have enough experience yet to comment on how effective these might be. (And the truth is, I’m still working on figuring out the whole “loop” thing).
I appreciate the camaraderie of our local Quills of Faith writer’s group and their constant encouragement helps me stay on task. I think, as with social media networking, that it’s important to have a balanced approach. It is easy to be caught up in the company of fellow writers and forget to accomplish our goal whether on the internet or writing at a coffee shop.
The computer and internet, not only make writing easier, but a lot of research is just a click away! And who doesn’t love the online dictionary and thesaurus?
Do you have a group to recommend for non-fiction writers?
On-line community is so important. It can be hard to find a group locally that fits you. I’m in an area with a high percentage of writers, but not so many Christian writers. So being able to connect with folks like Lindsay and Cynthia (hey ladies!) is priceless.
But what really blows me away about this post is what a treasure you have in your great-aunt’s manuscript! Talk about priceless! I have a couple of poems my grandmother wrote in 8th grade and I wouldn’t trade them for anything–errors and all!
I joined ACFW in 2002, served as Topic of the Week Coordinator for 2007-2009, as President for 2009-2010, and now serve in the role of ACFW Professional Relations Liaison. I’m also a member of The Writer’s View and a couple of smaller online writer communities. The Books & Such blog is a priority for me(amazing education in the posts from the Books & Such team)and I follow several other key industry blogs. Online courses (like those offered by ACFW) and the archives are powerful resources available at the click of a mouse. Research help can bring an obscure tidbit of information within minutes (Who knew an ACFW member would have access to the procedure for performing an emergency C-section on an aardvark?). ACFW now also has specific genre loops where members can discuss issues specific to their genre. If you write children’s fiction or historical romance or speculative or women’s fiction, you can find community with others who know that despite the similarities in writing, each genre deals with individualized challenges. What I’ve personally found is that those who get the most out of an online writing community strive for balance–when to lurk and learn, when to contribute; what loop discussions aren’t worth the investment of time, and which ones hold another publishing puzzle piece; at what point does the online community become an excuse not to write rather than propulsion and catalyst? Many in a writer’s online community become prayer partners, critique partners, or life-long friends because of shared interest. Even though I’m convinced God can do anything, I wonder if I’d be published today if it hadn’t been for online writing communities and the growth they fostered in me.
I absolutely love ACFW! Networking and the connections I have started to make really help when you are writing. I have seen different writing techniques, taken lessons and also critiqued (Although that is still new to me). I love the feedback and camaraderie. The emails do become overwhelming sometimes because I have joined every group they have. I am learning how to sort through the emails. At first it was almost too much and I lost sight of my time to write but I am now getting into the swing of things.
Nancy and Peter – I’m a nonfiction writer as well. The two groups I’m a part of aren’t specifically geared towards just nonfiction, but they do include it. I love both of these groups.
One is The Writer’s View (a Yahoo group). The subjects each week are set by the panel, but you got a lot of sound advice from professions in the industry. This group is one of those that I struggle sometimes to keep up with the emails since it’s so large – but it’s worthwhile.
The other is a small online critique group that is a subgroup of Proverbs 31 Ministries critique groups (www.proverbs31.org, then click Writers). I LOVE this group! I feel similar to Lindsay on all I learn through editing each others’ work. (Peter, I think these groups may be just for women writers.)
Thanks for this series this week, Rachel!
Caroline, thank you for sharing your groups!
I’ve also heard of ASJA: American Society of Journalists and Authors. I don’t know much more than the name so I’m not recommending them, but feel free to check them out!
I am involved with several online groups and loops. It has been a great experience for me–a strong support system. I’ve met incredible people and crit partners!
I think you have to pick and choose which groups you want to become the most involved in so you don’t get pulled away from the important thing–writing. I’m a member of ACFW and love the quick feedback I can get or give, but I really enjoy My Book Therapy too.
Could anyone recommend a good online group for an unpublished fantasy writer? I’ve participated in other online groups, but they often do not get back to me with feedback, and I don’t yet qualify for membership in the SFWA.
I’ve been a member of RWA for about sixteen or seventeen years. I’ve been a member of ACFW for about eight or nine years(?) give or take? Both groups have helped me immensely on my journey to publication. As a matter of fact, when I receive questions from aspiring authors, wanting my advice about seeking publication, the first thing I do is recommend joining one of these groups if one is pursuing commercial publication in the romance or Christian fiction market. If I’m under deadline, I don’t bother reading my emails for a few days because doing so can take up a lot of time. However, I love my online writers community! Great topic for discussion!
Hey Scooter, check out http://www.wherethemapends.com, specifically under The Anomaly. Its a forum for Christian writers and readers of speculative fiction (including fantasy). I know one of the members runs a critique group there. You could check them out.
Thanks for the tip! Will do!