Who Is In Your Network?

I get it, you are a writer which means you are an introvert. You sit at home and talk to your characters and they talk to you. They are your best friends, except for the villains. You never share your writing and when you do, it is with your critique group, and even then, it is only the sections of your writing that you have gone over time and time again to make sure it is perfect, and God Forbid, you would NEVER have them read those hot steamy scenes!

But here is the thing. In the world today, and not just in publishing, you cannot make it without a network. You cannot make it alone. 

I know that we hear all of time that we can get a job by putting resume on Zip Recruiter or any of those other job sites and you will get hired immediately is the way to go, but we have all seen, the reality of the situation is that people get hired from who you know and the connections you make. A friend hears about an opportunity and passes on the information. You jump on the link and away you go. 

Yesterday, I mentioned I was at a conference this last weekend but this is a prime place where that networking can take place, or in most cases, DOES NOT take place. Let me explain. 

In most cases, conferences set up their general meeting area with those big round tables that sit 8-10 people. You and your friends come out of your small meetings and gather together and sit down "together". Seems like a normal thing, right? The problem is that you are still in a closed system which means that there is no new real networking happening. Not only that, when you have filled up those tables, there is no room for someone on the outside to sit. 

At the conference this last weekend, when we got lunch, I got out of my room after teaching my first class a bit late so when I got to the main room, everyone had already sat down to eat. And there I was. An agent who people could A) get information from; or B) pitch to, just standing there, with no place to sit. They were all gathered with their friends talking. Now granted, part of that was that there were not necessarily enough tables and I did get out a bit late, BUT, here was a chance to network. I will stress, that this happens A LOT. 

At the recent RWA conference in Toronto, I would often sit out in the open, or at open tables in the larger ballroom making myself VERY available to chat, and people would still not come and talk. I know that authors have sometimes been told not to bug editors and agents when not at pitches, but the reality is, it is fine, IF they are out in public. Obviously, if they are meeting with people, do not, but if they are free, talk to them. Don't pitch but chat. Let them bring it up. 

The other piece with the networking is to find people who can help you advance your writing. Find other authors who you can tag team with when promoting your book! Share every time they post things about what they are doing and visa versa. The key is, be there for each other!

Finally, find people who are quality and who truly know what they are doing. You can certainly have great friends, but if they don't know what they are doing, then just have them for support. Find those people who can move your career forward and upward.