Have you noticed all the different kinds of group writing blogs on the internet? They range from #pitchwars mentors and debut authors with books coming out in the same year to industry gurus.
It’s easy to see the advantages for mutual support. (If you need to brush up, read Twyla Tharp’s The Collaborative Habit about the power of creative collaboration.)
- Authors target readers. These blogs focus on the world of middle grade books:
From the Mixed-Up Files “In the spring of 2010, a group of nearly thirty authors banded together to form a website and blog like no other in the history of the internet. As writers and readers of middle-grade books, our goal is to bring awareness and enthusiasm and celebration to books for 8-12 year olds, creating a *home* for anyone and everyone who loves books for this Golden Age of Reading.”
Middle Grade Mafia “The mission of the Middle Grade Mafia is to provide a refuge, a klatch, for established and aspiring middle grade authors. The purpose of the site is to share knowledge, inspire each other, and celebrate good news. Writing can be a lonely endeavor, but when you are part of a family, you are never alone.”
Smack Dab in the Middle “a middle grade authors’ blog”
Notes from the Slushpile “a team blog maintained by seven friends who also happen to be children’s authors at different stages of the publishing journey.”
2. Contest collaborators talk behind the scenes. Author mentors, literary agency interns and editors who donated time to PitchWars “behind the scenes” continue their collaboration.
Writing with the Mentors “Tips, tricks, and techniques, from Agented/Published Authors, Interns, and Editors.”
3. Debut authors band together.
The Sweet Sixteens 2016 Young Adult and Middle Grade Debut Authors. I love their “Find an Author Near You” option.
4. Industry experts weigh in.
Writer Unboxed “about the craft and business of fiction.”
5. Indie publishers show us how its done.
Alli Alliance of Independent Authors blog about self-publishing.
Group blogs on writing are probably only a small part of the internet, but they signal something important. We need each other to navigate this vast virtual sea of interesting stuff. This shouldn’t surprise me as much as it does.
Getting the words down is easier alone. But finding readers, giving critique, releasing books, interpreting the publishing industry, querying, editing, revising, and self-publishing all look a heck of a lot easier in a group.
The Museum of Montmartre is a lovely example of writers and artists working together, but the internet means we need each other more than ever.
What are you still trying to do all on your own? Should you be collaborating with someone?
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