Connecting with other writers

It can be pretty lonely writing a novel. If you are writing, you are probably hanging out in your study or the local library, not talking to anyone and just staring helplessly at the screen. If you are actually out having fun, you are not writing!

But it can be very meaningful to be part of a community of writers. I used to be in a very small writers group. We met monthly to give ourselves “writing prompts” and write together. And then we would share what we had written. Many, many times we were surprised by the quality of what each of us had created in the spontaneous moment. It was very exciting and affirming.

My little writers group no longer exists because each of our lives changed in very profound ways. For me, it was the end of a fabulous job close to home. Suddenly I was commuting almost three hours per day, which has dramatically impacted how much time I have to write — or to meet with friends for a shared pursuit.

However, thanks to the social world of the Internet, I am finding new ways to connect with other writers. First, I have met other writer/bloggers through WordPress.com. I have also joined the “guppies” group of Sisters in Crime. And now I’ve joined SavvyAuthors.com, which offers workshops and online networking and support. I signed up for a one-week workshop on “growing your manuscript,” which is my big challenge with my first Pepper Morgan mystery.

I’ll report back on how these groups help me. In the meantime, how do you connect with other writers?

— Kelly D. Palmer