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Tip Tuesday #114

Tip Tuesday features writers' tips on writing craft, research, querying, blogging, marketing, inspiration, and more. If you'd like to send in a tip, please e-mail me at agentspotlight(at)gmail(dot)com.

This week's tip was sent in by Gaylene Wilson, a long time tip reader but first time submitter. You can find her at her blog, {Unwritten}, and please do visit. I really enjoyed checking out her recent posts as well as her Highlights of 2011. Here's Gaylene's tip!

Find a yahoo group.

Not necessarily a yahoo critique group, but a bunch of random people who talk about writing. It’s even better if it’s not in your genre.

I used to be a newspaper reporter before I had kids. I really enjoyed writing feature stories and humor columns. When I became a stay-at-home mom, I took up writing children’s lit. But I still love humor columns, so I joined a yahoo humor writer’s group. I’ve learned so much from a bunch of strangers.

Because of this group, I realized I needed to add more networking buttons to my blog, like digg and reddit. I learned about a bunch of prestigious contests I’d never heard of before, because they aren’t connected to the children’s lit infosphere. I gleamed an amazing idea to successfully publish an e-book, which I might try someday.

Finding a group is easy. Just google Yahoo writing group, or something more specific, like Yahoo horror writers group, and you can stalk a few lists until you find one you like.

~Gaylene Wilson

16 comments:

The Pen and Ink Blogspot said...

Thanks Gaylene.
We do belong to a couple of writing groups on yahoo, but I love the idea of going outside your genre.

Natalie Aguirre said...

Great idea Gaylene. I belong to the Yahoo Fantasy writers group, though they are a quiet bunch.

Beth said...

I've been in a writing group with people who wrote outside of my genre, and it's amazing how much we all learned from each other. Great tip!

Miles of the Journey said...

Thanks for the tip. Great idea. This is new ground for me and is quite helpful.

Old Kitty said...

Thanks for such a great tip!! I've not done this before so it's worth a try! thank you! Take care
x

Stina said...

Great advice. I'm in a writing group. We all write Kidlit but for different age groups and genres. We don't focus on the writing so much as talk about what's going on in the world of publishing.

Anonymous said...

I like this tip! Especially finding one that is out of your genre. Spread the wings and talk. Thanks!

Nicole Zoltack said...

Yahoo groups can provide a great wealth of information.

Angela Brown said...

It's also great to be apart of Yahoo groups becasue you get a chance to get around READERS which can be a big plus in learning more about what is desired by the people who buy the books.

No21 said...

So pleased to have found your wonderful blog. I've just finished the draft of my first book. Your blog has provided me with so much valuable information to take it to the next stage. Thank you! I'm now inspired rather than daunted !
Bx

ali cross said...

This is a great tip. Associating with other writers has been a lifesaver for me!

Jeanne said...

I belong to several Yahoo groups, and I'm amazed at the amount of experience and support they share.

Lisa Nowak said...

I'm in a Yahoo group and two Google groups. It's amazing what you can learn.

IdentitySeeker said...

I've always been wary of Yahoo groups ever since I was warned of spammers on these groups but I was also under the impression that I'd need a Yahoo account to join any groups. Since the writing group seem to be o helpful, I think I might try one or two out just to see if it's my thing. Thanks for informing us:)

Angela Ackerman said...

I belong to some forums, and an in-city group. Both are great to just talk about writing with people who 'get it'. I learn so much from them!

Elana Johnson said...

Wow, cool tip. I'm not sure I could handle another group, but it is a good idea to have supporters.