Making a Living as a Writer, Part 2

Last week I talked about What it takes to make a living as a writer.
When I reviewed the email, frankly, I was left wanting more. Maybe you were, too, so I’ve decided to expand on my thoughts. In fact, I’m going to turn this into a short series.
Consistency really does play a huge part of making a living as a writer. Another key factor is networking.
Networking isn’t just for business professionals. In fact, you won’t have a robust career or be able to make a solid living as a writer without a network of other writers.
It wasn’t until I connected with other writers that I was able to:


Discover new tips, tools, and strategies for writing and publishing. I didn’t know about Scrivener, or BookFunnel, or even Smashwords before I started building my writer network.


Learn how to write better! Connecting with other writers connected me with better, more experienced editors. The feedback and insight

I received was, and is, priceless.


Feel normal (a.k.a. not feel totally weird). Writers are a unique breed, and if for some reason you don’t feel at home in your current network, perhaps it’s because you haven’t yet found “your people.”


It’s true–you will make a better living with a solid network of other writers (and people who serve writers).
You might be wondering where all of these wonderful people are, and how to connect with them. So glad you asked!


Join Facebook Groups. I have one:  The Prosperous Writer Mastermind  is for anyone who wants to write, from aspiring writers to multi-time authors. There’s a group for people who use Dragon Dictation to write, and Michael Anderle’s group, 20Booksto50K, is growing by leaps and bounds. In any group, you can ask questions and either crowd-source the answers or get help from experienced authors.


Join writer groups. Through Meetup.com, you can join any number of writing groups right where you live, or start one.


Go to writer’s conferences. General conferences, like the Smarter Artist Summit, are a terrific place to connect with other writers. You can also go to the conference that caters to your niche such as Romance Writers of America or Thrillerfest. You might have to overcome the desire to stay home (Hi, fellow introverts, I see you!), but I promise it will be well worth it!


Making a living as a writer is multi-faceted. I’ll be back with you next week with some other ideas to consider. What do you think the most important factors are that most contribute to whether someone is able to make a living as a writer? Feel free to email me or post a comment on the blog.

 

More Good Stuff…
~Would you like to read my new book before it’s released? The Advanced Reader Team for The Prosperous Writer’s Guide to Making More Money is now open! My author buddy, Brian Meeks, and I are here to help you write full-time. Sign up here .
~Boost your professional relationships to the next level. Get a free eBook of my networking book, Business Dating, here. Hurry before it’s gone!