Best Advice for New Authors

Being an author means you are also a publicist and marketing agent. Whether you are traditionally published or you do it yourself, you have to toot your own horn.

But part of that is easier if you join a writing community. But don't just join it. If all you do is pay your fee and then sit around waiting for something to happen, nothing will happen. You have to participate.

Let me repeat.

You must PARTICIPATE in order to get anything out of an organization.  It could be a simple thing, like showing up for meetings, casting your vote, sharing your ideas.  Or you could become a cogin the wheel that make the organization successful. Do a presentation. Share your experience. Teach. 

I live in Alabama and there are a few statewide organizations for writers.  But if you can't find one in your state, and I find that hardly plausible since many  national organizations have local chapters, then join a national one. 

But organizations aren't the only place you can participate. Your local library is a hub of activity and your audience will grow if you become a part of the community. Read stories to children. Help with fundraisers. Attend events. Check out books. Share your experience. Teach.  There's so much you can do to create a relationship with your local library. 

I could go on and on, but I think you get the drift.  Here are a list of a few places to get you started. 

Professional Organizations/ Clubs

1. Professional Organizations/Clubs:  These are based on my interest as a children’s writer, but I am sure you can find a group that fits the genre you like to write.
2. Alabama
1. Alabama Writer’s Cooperative
2. Alabama State Poetry Society
3. SCBWI Southern Breeze (A Chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.)
4. Alabama Writers Forum
5. National League of American Pen Women, Inc (Birmingham and Huntsville branches.)
3. Virginia:
1. Chesapeake Bay Writers https://www.chesapeakebaywriters.org/
2. Virginia Writers Club https://www.virginiawritersclub.org/
3. James River Writers https://jamesriverwriters.org/
4. Global:
1. Pages & Platforms https://www.pagesandplatforms.com/fbm-replay
2. Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators - SCBWI: https://www.scbwi.org/
3. Authors Guild: https://www.authorsguild.org/
4. Writers and Publishers Network (WPN) https://writersandpublishersnetwork.com/
5. National Endowment for the ARTS https://www.arts.gov/
6. The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY)  https://www.ibby.org/
7. United States Board on Books for Young People, Inc. (USBBY) c/o Center for Teaching Through Children's Books 5202 Old Orchard Road, Suite 300 Skokie, IL 60077 Tel. [int. +1] 224 233 27 98 E-mail: secretariat@usbby.org www.usbby.org  Self-publishing meeting
8. Alliance of Independent Authors https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/
9. Independent Book Publishers Association: (IBPA) https://www.ibpa-online.org/

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me. 

Find Sonja McGiboney online.