Networking has become a buzzword of the nineties. For some, the term conjures images of smarmy cocktail partiers schmoozing their way to the top. For others, networking holds the mystery of secret handshakes and confidential passwords among people 'in the know.'
But networking for writers works best on a much smaller, less mercenary scale. Networking can help open doors to get your stories to editors and ultimately, readers. And networking can be a powerful tool for writers to learn and grow in their craft.
Simply defined, networking means putting yourself in the position to meet new people and learn new information as often as possible -- particularly people who share your love of reading and writing, and information that pertains to writing and marketing romance today. When you introduce yourself to a new person at a conference or writer's meeting, you're networking, whether you think of it this way or not. By joining national RWA and this chapter, you've automatically expanded your network of people and information as well. But how can you make networking work for you and your writing career?
Let's begin by considering some of the benefits you can gain from effective networking.
Networking educates you about the market.
If you don't already know it, romance writers are a savvy lot. They know a great deal about who publishes romance, who the editors are who read romance manuscripts and what various subgenres fall under the broad heading of romance. They know these things because their network, RWA and its local chapters and publications, helps disseminate this information. How many times have you heard a published author say "Before I joined RWA, I was writing in a vacuum. I didn't know anything about the market"?
Networking educates you about writing in general.
If you don't understand the difference between omniscient and third person point of view, you can call on people in your network to explain it to you. If you want to know if the subject of your paranormal romance is something Harlequin might consider, you can ask Harlequin authors in your network for their opinion on the topic's acceptability. At a conference, you could even ask a Harlequin editor herself about the topic.
Networking makes you aware of new opportunities.
When a publisher opens up a new line, or when an editor moves to a new house, you can be one of the first to learn the news as the information flows through your network.
Networking brings you face to face with people who can further your career.
Meeting an editor or agent in person won't make them buy a poorly written manuscript, or one that isn't right for their house. But it can plant a picture in their mind so that you're more than just a typewritten name on a page. And it can make them want to read your manuscript. As Harlequin editor Brenda Chin said at a recent conference, "Editors like to work with people we know."
Networking helps you make new friends.
Although I placed this benefit last in my list, it may be one of the most important aspects of networking for writers. The women and men in your writing network may be the only ones who really understand your struggle to put words on paper, or the real pain you feel upon rejection. Writing is a solitary profession and whether your writer friends are sitting across from you at a chapter meeting, or on the other end of a modem halfway around the world, they can be a powerful aid in the battle to keep going in this fickle business.
Now that you know how important networking can be, how can you make the most of your opportunities? Take advantage of new opportunities.
While writer's conferences can provide wonderful classes and other educational benefits, many people feel the most important action at any conference is in the halls and around the luncheon tables, or in the hotel bar. This is where you meet other writers, editors and agents and get to know them as real people.
Not everyone can afford the expense of flying out of state to a national conference, but I would urge anyone to take advantage of regional conferences within driving distance of your home. I have met lifelong friends at these conferences, established myself on a first-name basis with editors I have seen over and over through the years, and received wonderful advice and encouragement from authors I only idolized from afar until I met them face to face.
Also, don't pass up an opportunity to volunteer, in your local chapter and around town. Volunteers get to meet agents, booksellers and editors on an informal, one-on-one basis, as well as cementing friendships with other writers from all over the world. I introduced Malle Vallick at the Dallas National RWA conference, and worked side by side with Houston bookseller Sharon Murphy at the RT Booked on Romance conference in San Antonio. As SARA's newsletter editor for two years, I got first peak at every bit of breaking industry news. Get out there and mingle.
Of course, attending an event doesn't do you any good if you hide in your hotel room once you're there. Many writers are by nature shy and solitary individuals. It's difficult, even physically painful, for us to introduce ourselves to strangers and make small talk.
Take a deep breath, smile, and do it anyway. It does get easier with practice. If it helps, make a mental list of subjects you can talk about easily. Two winners for writer's conferences: "What do you write?" or "What do you like to read?" I try to ask editors and agents what they like to read when they're not working. They all love books, and before you know it, you can find yourself having a wonderful conversation.
Set a goal of meeting a certain number of new people at every event. It's easy to cling to the safety of friends, but a better idea is to split up at lunch time and sit at a table with some people you don't know. Introduce yourself, and try to find out a little about them.
Don't make the mistake some people do of confining your attention to 'name' people -- famous authors or editors and agents. That unpublished writer next to you may have just the piece of advice or encouraging word that you need to hear, or vice-versa. Maybe you have something to say that will help her. Listen, read, and pay attention.
Networking involves more than making conversation. It also extends to email, magazines and newsletters. Read the RWR, this newsletter, Writer's Digest, Publisher's Weekly and every other bit of industry-related material you can get your hands on. That's where you'll find breaking news.
In July of 1997, I saw a small article in an RWA chapter newsletter announcing that Berkley was looking for manuscripts for a new line featuring quilting. I was two chapters into just such a book. At the National RWA conference in Orlando a few weeks later, I asked Berkley editor Gail Fortune, who I had met two years before, when she visited SARA, about the line. She, in turn, introduced me to Judith Palais, the editor who was developing that line. I was so nervous, I'm sure my knees were shaking, but I managed to pitch my work-in-progress to Ms. Palais and she asked to see the partial. Two months later, I had sold my first book.
Right now, I have three other manuscripts out with three other editors, all of whom I met at conferences. I first met two of them at cocktail parties, and the third sat across from me at dinner one night at the Moonlight and Magnolias conference in Atlanta. Two of those manuscripts were sent with recommendations from authors who had written for those editors -- women I met and became friends with at other conferences. In the end, my story and my writing will make or break the sale, but I believe networking definitely helped me garner some much needed attention.
Despite its power as a tool for writers, networking can be as simple as smiling and saying hello to the person next to you at the next chapter meeting, volunteering to help at a chapter function, or attending a local booksigning. That gesture might lead you to the perfect editor or house for your manuscript, or it might be the first step in a wonderful writing journey.
Cindi Myers (aka Cynthia Starting) will see her first release, Patchwork Hearts, on the shelves in February. '99, as part of Berkley Jove's new Quilting Romance line. Her second book, A Willing Spirit, is a July '99 release. Visit her, at http//members.aol.com/CySterling/index.html.
©2002, San Antonio Romance Authors, all rights reserved. Articles may not be reprinted without permission.
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