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Publishing Community: What Role Does it Play in an Author’s Life?
The other day someone asked me what I liked best about publishing, and without batting an eyelid, I said it was community. The publishing community, and the community I’ve been blessed with on this blog for the last sixteen years. The writing life can often be grueling, but I’ve almost come to prefer it to the publishing part of it. The one bright spot about publishing is community.
Here’s why:
— As a debut author in trad publishing, it was a steep learning curve. My publisher did their best in terms of their marketing — my first Blue Mumbai thriller, THE BLUE BAR, turned out to be an Amazon bestseller, and has now earned out its advance.
That said, the next in the series, THE BLUE MONSOON has yet to catch up. Second books in a series tend to drop off a little and need time to get up to speed. Despite lovely reviews from readers, it is taking its time. (The publisher has picked it for a KINDLE DEAL for the month of June, so if you haven’t snagged it yet it’s a good time to pick it up now.) Working on my next has been a trial, and my community is seeing me through it all.
— My publishing community has helped both my books, THE BLUE BAR and THE BLUE MONSOON, by reading advance copies, by posting reviews, boosting on social media.
— They have been an invaluable source of psychological support–some of the comments on this blog have kept me going on dark days, and there have many dark days in the past years.
— Of course, I have had support from family and friends, but publishing community support has provided a unique perspective–other authors as well as editors and agents understand the business, so their words of wisdom find a unique resonance. Often, during a tricky time in my journey, a senior author has provided excellent advice, words of encouragement and reassurance, and even a genuine and kind blurb or two.
— Seeing others work the same slog as I am makes me feel less alone. The publishing community is often quite honest about its trials and tribulations, and that helps me understand mine.
A very supportive publishing community I’ve been part of is the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. The post today is in response to the prompt from the IWSG community question for this month:
In this constantly evolving industry, what kind of offering/service do you think the IWSG should consider offering to members?
IWSG already helps authors by organizing monthly events where authors can share their concerns, triumphs and concerns, by organizing the IWSGpit twitter pitching event, and much else.
Personally, I’d love to see weekly social media threads on the FB groups and elsewhere where authors come together to support each other. I’m part of another group of authors where this happens a few days a week, genre-wise, and has shown very good results for our promotional efforts.
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This is the first Wednesday of the month post for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. Founded by the Ninja Cap’n Alex J. Cavanaugh, the purpose of the group is to offer a safe space where writers can share their fears and insecurities without being judged.
This is a wonderful group–if you aren’t a part of it, I urge you to join in! The awesome co-hosts for the posting of the IWSG are Liza at Middle Passages, Shannon Lawrence, Melissa Maygrove, and Olga Godim!
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Whether you are an author or not, what does community mean to you? If you’re an author, what has the publishing community been like for you?
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If you’re looking for a literary thriller set outside the West, and love books by authors like Lisa Gardner, Tana French, Jodi Picoult, Mary Kubica, Ruth Ware, Rachel Caine, Ivy Pochoda, Louise Penny or Harlan Coben, check out my literary crime novels, The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon on Kindle Unlimited now. Add to Goodreads or snag a copy to make my day !
And if you’d like to read a book outside the series, you can check out You Beneath Your Skin. Find all info about my books on my Amazon page or Linktree. If you have an Amazon account, a Follow will really help my ranking stay afloat.
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I agree with you whole-heartedly Damyanti. Whether traditionally or self-published these days the author has to play a major role in the marketing of their books, not just initially but to keep it visible to readers across the years. Like you I have been blogging for many years and it is the interaction and support that keeps me posting and also publishing. Thanks for the motivating post.
I’m looking forward to your next book 🙂
Thank you, I can’t wait for you to read it!
Bravo, Damyanti, for earning out the advance for your first book. Oh yes! There are dark days in writing or any creative work, I think. I know I have them. You are amazing in all you do. Community can get us through the tough days. Positive thinking. You CAN DO this. All the luck with your work in progress.
Thank you, that’s so sweet of you to say! You have no idea how much your comment means to me. Yes, the dark days can be a challenge, but kind words like yours always bring some light. YOU are amazing, and I hope you know that I’m rooting for you and cheering you on! Sending you all the positive vibes.
I like that idea! And I gave you a follow on Amazon. 🙂
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!
I like the idea of some sort of social media thread for people to share with each other. Good idea.
Thank you! I feel like it could be quite useful and I’ve had positive experiences with it before.
Community is important not only in publishing but in all career choices. I valued mingling with fellow corporate professionals during my time as an administrator and they do provide new ideas and perspectives in conventions. Doctors and health professionals also need that forum to grow and contribute to others too. Community is a two-way consultative process.
I agree. I feel that community is important in most aspects of life, and I’m lucky enough to have such a supportive one. Like you said, being able to build upon one’s personal opinions and perspectives by learning from others is such a valuable part of life. It really is a two-way consultative process, and one which I’ve grown a lot from. I hope to do the same for others, and to contribute to the community the same way it has contributed to my pursuits.
There is definitely a supportive community among the indie authors on WP, and I’m happy to be part of it.
Yes, for sure! I am, too, and it’s lovely to see how everyone in the community uplifts and encourages each other.
Community keeps us plugged in, a connection to the past, present, and future. Thanks for asking, Damyanti!
Absolutely! My community and connections keep me rooted. They help me stay true to my goals and motivate me when I feel down in the dumps. It’s a wonderful feeling. Thank you for commenting!
You’re an equally supportive and inspiring community member, Damyanti. All the best for your next.
Thank you so much, Sonia! I really appreciate it. And so are you! I don’t know what I would do without your support, and your writing is equally as inspiring.
Indispensable – for those of us who are virtually homebound. I need community – I HAVE community.
I have none in real life – writers of fiction are widely scattered, and I have little energy.
Online, I can ask questions, inquire about possible marketing co-projects, see if someone else’s experience matches or contrasts my own.
And there are a variety of blogs which provide both new information or ideas, and serve as ways to get my brain writing in the mornings (or sidetracked for a while).
I contribute my share – blog posts and comments, answers and questions.
Y’all are my peeps.
You’re absolutely right. Community is so important, especially when writing is often a solo effort. Without the advice, support, and experience of the IWSG and other writers I’ve encountered along the way, I’m not sure where I would be today. And, of course, my family and friends. The support system is so precious. And the online aspect of the community is helpful, too! Like you said, the availability of online resources really makes a difference. With technology, everything is so accessible nowadays. It’s lovely to be able to stay in contact with people I hardly meet or have never met in-person, too.
I feel similar about IWSG. Since I’m an Indie, I don’t have any of the publisher community, but I feel a connection with the IWSG community. It means a lot.
Yes, the IWSG is such a lovely, supportive community. Like you, I definitely feel a connection to it and I’m grateful for the safe space it provides. Not to mention all the friends I’ve made and blogs I’ve discovered because of it!
The publishing community has made all the difference for me as an author.
It’s good to hear that, Liz! And I feel the same way. The publishing community has been of my most treasured sources of support and encouragement over the course of my writing career.
That could be something we offer through the FaceBook group. We are getting some good suggestions today!
Thank you for considering mine!
That learning curve is always steep, and then just when you think you’ve nailed it…the publishing world changes!
Thanks for the idea for IWSG, Damyanti!
https://cleemckenziebooks.substack.com/p/welcoming-june
So true! It can be so frustrating, especially when you finally like you’ve figured it out, only for it to branch out into a different direction. I suppose it’s interesting for a passive observer, but not so much for authors! Thank you for visiting. I really enjoyed your blog post and the book recommendations. And you’re right, I understand exactly what you mean about the “endless cycle of write, submit, edit, and promote”!