Writers Turn to the Internet for Support, Friendship and Advice
Riding on the fumes of potential, you take pen to paper or
keyboard to monitor. Endless hours of creativity intermingle
with apprehension, but your need to write engulfs your spirit.
You swim high on the waves of excitement and trudge forward
through the waves of doubt. Finally, your manuscript is complete.
Looking back, the process becomes a blur, it's difficult to
recall the point at which your first draft transformed into your
final draft, but it happened. For a moment, you allow yourself
to be still and bask in the glory of your completed manuscript.
But only for a moment. Now a new process must begin.
As if going from concept to page isn't enough, the aspiring
writer must now bravely pass his or her cherished manuscript
along for opinion. Opinion is actually too light of a word; the
writer must submit to, and endure the critique. For those faint
at heart, the critique can be a frightening experience, rearing
its ugly head of self-doubt to the highest position. But
ultimately, it's what makes you stronger, better at your craft,
and prepares you to for the next phase on your quest to
publication.
Family and friends only hinder the critique process. Although
supportive, their opinions are bias and counter productive
unless they are professionals. So where do you turn if you are
not fortunate enough to have a local writing group or personal
mentor in your life? The modern writer turns to the cyber world.
As you make your way through search engines and dodge pop-ups
ads in pursuit of an answer, message boards and writer's forums
abound. Your ultimate goal, to find that band of brothers and
sisters, bound together in their somewhat solitary pursuit of a
writing career. A nameless group of competitors hooked together
by modems, monitors, keyboards, nicknames, and electricity,
generously willing to share advice. A group you can trust.
I have found such a writer's haven. A speakeasy filled with
poets and prophets, editors, agents and journalists. A space
where the published and unpublished exist together. By
invitation only, I secretly found the backdoor into this cyber
club. Over two hundred members and growing strong, this forum
has everything from professional guest visitors to idle chatter.
A place to receive feedback on your work, ask questions, share
information, make contacts, friendships and share your successes
and defeats.
Now that the secret code to this cyber club has been lifted,
Backspace - The Writer's Place is open to the public. Why not
click open the door and lurk for awhile? After you get to know
the posters, reach out for some feedback on your work. Then you
can move to the next phase with confidence. For after the
dreaded critique process, you must endure another hurdle, the
query letter. Why not tackle it with the help of your new cyber
friends at Backspace? http://www.bksp.org/index.shtm
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Writers Turn to the Internet for Support, Friendship and Advice
Author: Patricia Gatto Copyright 2004. All Rights Reserved.
Category: Writer's Resources, Internet Word Count (including
Resource Box): 575