Insecure Writers want to know: If You could, What Would You Do Differently in 2017

Many writers are insecure, lonely animals. The publishing industry has changed drastically in recent years. Gone is the support system of old for writers when they had agents and editors who gave them courage to continue and help to shape their stories, where famous writers gathered at cafes or went abroad to write.

Most of today’s writers have full time careers and write on the side. We need to find our own support group. We need to swallow our fears—most times by ourselves—and search for the perfect critique partner or groups and pay for professional editing and more if we go Indie. In the old days, publishers nurtured their writers.

But as writers, we can’t cry over blotched ink! We need to make sure it doesn’t happen in the first place. To do that, the authors of today need to find like-minded individuals and form true connections in order to share information on writing and options on publishing.  

I have been blessed in 2017 to have connected with many wonderful writers online, mostly at IWSG and AuthorToolbox bloggers. I seek out your guidance, your experience in publishing and writing through reading your blogs. I also look to Writers Helping Writers, Jennie Nash, and Writers in the Storm blogposts for help in writing stories. I hunger for my local South Jersey Writers Group meetings and events and the camaraderie I share with them.

What would I have done differently in 2017? I would have liked to figure out this e-mail list building thing. How do I set it up on my blogspot blogs or is it only something you can do with a website?

Must you have a newsletter to send out to an e-mail list filled with information different from your blog posts? I assume the letter should be filled with tips like I try to do with my blogposts.

I don’t know how to have the popup appear for visitors to sign up for an e-mail list. Some of you have a box that pops up and I need to enter my name, email, and website in order to comment. Is that an e-mail list gathering tool and does it work with blogspot? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much for stopping by Adventures in Writing and offering your advice. Please follow my blog if you haven’t already. It’s greatly appreciated. Enjoy your holiday! 

This post was written for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. We post on the first Wednesday of every month.  To join us, or learn more about the group, click HERE.