Find a New Author Support Community

Relocating can be a major pain, whether in state, or across the U.S. In our case, across the country.

Where do you begin to find an author group like the one discovered years before and lost with each successive move? If you use the computer and do internet searches, you can browse the web. But where to start? Meet-Up’s? The local library? You need encouragement and support with your writing goals. You need positive critique. You need to find the holes in your work so you can plug them.

The rewards for finding the right author community are numerous and there are resources out there to help:

• Local community centers and libraries

• Bulletin boards and word of mouth

• Writing associations (such as Mystery Writers of America)

• Meetup.com

• Social Media

            Check out Goodreads groups, LinkedIn Groups for Writers, and Facebook Groups for Writers (lots of writer’s groups on Facebook–this is only one).

(About those last suggestions for social media–they are online obviously, which are just not the same as a physical group to share face-to-face.)

Unfortunately, there does not appear to be many opportunities for author communities or book marketing and promotion Meetups locally and I lack the experience or expertise to start one, although I did check out one local group that is more specifically a critique group. Since I am not currently writing a novel, and my grandfather’s manuscripts have already been published, the group did not appear appropriate for my work. There is another group I’ll be checking out on Saturday the 1st. Not an author group, however, more of a fiction-reading book club.

After two winters in Yuma living out of our RV, we found ourselves in Goodyear, AZ, last year where I discovered the Phoenix Publishing and Book Promotion Meet-Up organized by Laura Orsini, a dynamic and experienced online social media marketer. Bi-monthly meetings were punctuated by promotional forays and author associated events. Meetings I attended included everything from the creation of video trailers to social media marketing–information well worth the drive into Phoenix!

In Idaho before that, I was lucky to discover the newly formed Idaho Author Community created jointly by Jane Freund and Wynette Mellen. Jane continued the group after Wynette left and also held bi-monthly meetings in Meridian (outside of Boise). Very active in the community, the Idaho Author Community was always looking for another way to promote the participating authors and at one point, we reached out into both eastern and well as northern Idaho.

Both groups produced a wealth of knowledge and author contacts as well as support. I miss that! Case in point, I bit the bullet and spent some time searching for video clips to make that erstwhile trailer I mentioned a couple weeks ago. This is free stuff–you can tell just how free by the fact that the attributions are stamped across every frame. So, instead, I’ll ask you for the critique. What do you think?

I’ll continue to look for a vibrant, active author promotion and marketing group, and if you have any ideas, I’m open to suggestions! ©2016 Virginia Williams

Author: Rosepoint Publishing

I am the granddaughter of Patrick John "Stanley McShane" Rose whose books including "Cocos Island Treasure" I've recently published. My time is now spent in reading, reviewing, and writing bookish articles. I'm looking forward to sharing this social media odyssey with you! View all posts by Rosepoint Publishing