Benefits of Online Communities for Authors

Writing communities are everywhere. From poetry groups to author communities to serious literary clubs, these communities play a huge impact in the lives of writers, readers, and the whole literary industry. Discourse and interactions within these groups affect both the individual and society.

Writing is mainly an individual activity. For most authors, it is a personal craft and is usually practiced within the comforts and privacy of the writer. However, if you hope to be serious about starting a career in writing or publishing books, being involved in writing groups or writing communities will prove to be quiet useful.

For unknown authors and self-published ones, online communities serve as their immediate base. By being active in these groups, the authors have the opportunity to gain new experiences, learnings, and even realizations that contribute to his or her journey as a writer. Below are the basic gains that writing groups are able to provide:

1. Creates a conducive environment. Writers need to get out in the world and see different perspectives. It does not do good to be confined in your private room or within your usual area. Writing communities always provide a conducive environment for learning, and even churning out new ideas. Being in a literary atmosphere can serve as validation that you belong with this crowd.
2. Inspiration from fellow writers. Of course, talking with other writers and authors almost always is an inspiring thought. To interact with them and discuss common interests, share ideas, and exchange experiences will inspire you to discover your own style and find your own voice.
3. Establish rapport among authors. Writing communities is first and foremost, a network. The more you engage your community, the more your build contacts and connection, not just with fellow writers but also individuals within the industry that someday might help you with your future endeavors. Professional authors must build a solid reputation and it can only be done if you open up to the members of your community.
4. Gain an instant audience and critics. One good thing about being a member of a writing community is that you have a ready audience. They usually are the first to examine your work, to react to various areas of your work. A great writing community encourages its members to express themselves and to show their works to the rest of the community. With your writing club, you get to avail free book review as well as a healthy support group.
5. Expands your network support. As mentioned above, writing communities have the capacity to widen your market reach, to assist you with book promotion, and to really get the word out in the open. Your community is actually your number one advertising machinery.
6. Grow together with other writers. Writing groups and communities conduct meetings, public readings, and thread discussions. But they also hold workshops, reviews, and even attend organized events. These enable the members to learn new things and to be exposed to various learnings.
7. Organized groups are always better. The more organized your community, the more positive gains you will acquire. What groups and communities provide to individual writers is direction, sense of purpose, support, guidance, and monitoring progress.

While some of these gains can be achieved by an organized individual, there are things that are so much better if done with the help of a group. Whether it’s publishing your book or marketing your brand, your online writing community can do so much for you and the success of your goals as a writer.

ReadersMagnet.club is a site for authors who want to share their works with the community. They feature Author of the Week, Book of the Week, and Authors’ Lounge where approve submissions are published and syndicated for free. Visit readersmagnet.club today!