new community for writers

I’m a big fan of online communities. Yes, of course, there is facebook and twitter, but the ones I love the most are truly community based and offer writers real opportunities to connect with one another. The ning network seems to be host to many of these, such as shewrites, poemata, and the freelance writers network. And now there’s something new.

Earlier this week, the folks at Writer’s Digest magazine sent out announcements for the new Writer’s Digest Community, hosted on the ning network. At the time of this writing, there are just under 700 members but we can expect that to grow rapidly. Why? Because writers need community. We like to network. We like to befriend similar minded people. And… because it just makes sense. We need to market and promote our work and that means using every reasonable available opportunity to do so.

My profile is located here, so please do drop by. If you write, please also consider signing on for your own profile. This is especially true if you don’t yet have your own website. Your profile page will allow you to post a brief bio, links to your other sites, and you can even do an RSS feed of your blog if you have one. Most importantly, you can join a group and meet other writers, thereby expanding your community base. We’re writers. We need to support one another.

As I am new to the Writer’s Digest Community, I am still adding content to my profile page and getting to know others in the network. But if it’s anything like the other communities I belong to, it’s worth the half hour it will take to add more info and start connecting. I can’t tell you how many opportunities I have stumbled into by playing an active role in these online groups. You’ll mix and mingle with other writers, yes, but you will also come into contact with agents and editors, festival organizers, book reviewers and everyone else who plays a role in publishing. If you can make it to an online community even once a week, you can vastly increase your network and tap into new opportunities.

If you join on to Writer’s Digest Community, let me know how it goes. Also, be sure to ‘friend’ me so I can keep up with your news and events.

Thanks for stopping in today! I wish you all a great weekend and will see you on Monday. Have a great weekend.

new season, new look

Amidst all the busywork I’ve been up to lately, one of the things I am pleased to have checked off of my to-do list is updating my website. If you haven’t visited http://www.loriamay.com/ lately, go on over and have a look. I’ve revamped the entire site with a whole new look and added lots of new content, so I hope you’ll enjoy the transformation.

One of the things I am pleased to include on my site is a page dedicated to resources for writers. We writers always want to hear from others about the writing process, publishing, and tales of success so I put together a page that lists off some of the best resources I can name. I’ve included a few titles of books I have particularly enjoyed; these books are for writers about writing. I’ve also added some links to some great writing magazines, organizations, and workshops, so hopefully this page is a good starting point for useful info. Let me know what you think.

While I liked my old site well enough, I find there comes a time to switch it up. Not only does it serve the viewer – you – by providing something new to look at, it also helps me to redesign from time to time. That way I am always keeping things fresh, adding new content, and increasing the user-friendly features. My hopes for the new site is that you find it informative, entertaining, and worth visiting again.

Hands down, one of the most important tools a writer has in sharing their work with others is a website. Yes, social media tools like facebook, twitter, and communities such as shewrites.com have a big role in connecting with others, but a website is a must. Why? Because you have to have something static. Something that always exists and shows off your work, your style, and reflects what you are doing as a writer. Not only do readers want to know more about you as a person and what work you have on the go, but it’s also one of the first things an agent or an editor will look at when considering your work.

I hope you enjoy the new look and find the content useful. Please feel free to share your thoughts and reactions. If you come across any stumbling blocks, let me know so I can fix it.

Time to get ready for today's launch party… hope to see you there!