The Secret to Networking: The Four Cs

The Secret to Networking: the Four C's 
When you hear networking, it sounds like business-speak, doesn’t it? All transactional, like a salesperson trying to expand their client list to sell another widget. But here’s the thing: it’s really another way of saying, no writer or artist can do it alone. As a creative person, if you want to improve your craft and become traditionally published, and not fall into despair along the way, the key is to find your community.
 
Because I like alliteration, here are my four C’s for networking and finding community: Curiosity, Compassion, Curation, and Connection.
 
Be sure to enter my giveaway of $100 for any class or conference of your choice (details below)!
 1. Curiosity 
It all starts with being curious and open to new ideas. Instead of approaching networking as a way to develop your brand or sell books, think of it as connecting with all the interesting people. One great thing about social media is finding people who share your interests. I have a private Twitter list called “always interesting” that includes mapmakers, ocean explorers, funny AI accounts, and esoteric historians. When you keep an outward focus, you can’t help but enrich yourself.  
 
The TV show Ted Lasso has a pivotal scene about this, but I won’t ruin it (HOT TIP: go watch Ted Lasso ASAP, it’s one of my top shows of 2020, hilarious & full of heart).
 2. Compassion 
It’s been a tough year. You never know what someone is going through, so a good rule is to be compassionate. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. This can be difficult when we face deep injustices and urgent issues (environment, politics, Covid-19, racism/sexism/etc), but the point is, you don’t have to engage with toxic people. Uplift and surround yourself with those who are making the world a better place; find the people who will support you and your creative efforts. 
 3. Curation 
The corollary to being curious and thinking of others is you’ll want to curate your social media. Keep the good stuff in and leave whines or vents in drafts. We’re all human, so HOT TIP: find at least one trusted friend with whom you can be as petty and snarky as you want, in private channels. 
 4. Connection 
While the above can help you network, how do you actually find your people? Here’s a rundown on some great writing & illustrating communities (mostly kid lit, some cost $ and others are free, and look at all the Cs!):


CLASSES 

In addition to learning craft, classes let you connect with others at the same stage in your career. Some of my best CPs have come from classes. I highly recommend:
 

• The Muse Writers Center – workshop-style classes for fiction, nonfiction & more, where I learned so much about novel-writing. A QUICK PLUG: I’m teaching an intermediate- and above-level Fiction Workshop starting in early February. I’d love to see some familiar names and faces. (Check it out)​

• Inked Voices – small workshops with 8 other writers led by an agent or editor (PB to adult), also a forum to connect with others  
• Reneé LaTulippe’s Lyrical Language Lab – for PB writers, learn poetic techniques from one of the best children's poets. Check out her YouTube channel for free lessons.
• Storyteller Academy (with Arree Chung) – classes for PB writers & illustrators  
• Society of Visual Storytelling – for artists & illustrators
• Susanna Hill’s Making Picture Book Magic – for PB writers
• Other classes can be found at Kidlit411’s Writing Courses page

CONFERENCES

Pre-pandemic, I loved connecting with writers through conferences. Most have moved online. A few favorites:

• Big Sur Children's Writers Workshops. Andrea Brown Literary Agency, one of the premier agencies repping kid lit, holds conferences where agents and editors lead small critique workshops with aspiring authors. I met my wonderful agent, Jennifer March Soloway, in a Big Sur workshop.
• Better Books Marin  - an excellent craft-based workshop for MG & YA novelists
• SCBWI regional conferences (Mid-Atlantic, NESCBWI are great)
• For more, check out Kidlit411's Conferences, Workshops & Retreats

CRITIQUE GROUPS/PARTNERS

The best way to improve your craft is to get honest feedback. Some places to find CPs:

• Kidlit411 Manuscript Swap – a Facebook group where kid lit writers find people to read their works, from PB to YA
• Kidlit411 Illustrators Critique Swap – a FB group for illustrators to connect
• Sub It Club Critique Partner matchup – a FB group for writers (all age categories)
• SCBWI Blue Boards - discussion & critique forum

CONTESTS & MENTORSHIPS

A great way to connect with others is by entering contests or applying for mentorships and supporting fellow applicants. For example:

• Pitch Wars – this past Fall, a group of middle grade applicants to Pitch Wars found each other & became friends (Malia Maunakea wrote about it at #mgwaves -Building Community). They meet online and share resources, critiques, and support. In the short time they’ve been together, they’ve celebrated 2 people getting into Pitch Wars, 1 getting another mentor, and 2 signing with agents). 
• Author Mentor Match – AMM applicants can connect in the FB group, AMM Hopefuls to share tips, query critiques & more. AMM also hosts Twitter gatherings like #AskAMM or #AMMparty. (A new round application period opens Jan. 11-14)
• Nevada SCBWI Mentorship - for PB, MG, YA authors (applications open until Jan 31)
• We Need Diverse Books - mentorships for authors from traditionally unrepresented groups (applications open in Oct)
• Twitter pitch parties – #Pitmad, #PBpitch, #DVpit, #SFFpit, #KidLitGN are just a few pitch pitches where people can make friends while pitching their work  
• For more, check out the Kidlit411's Contests & Awards  or Mentor Programs

COMMUNITIES
Here are some of my favorite creative communities: 

• Kidlit411 – my friend Elaine Kiely Kearns had an idea 7 years ago to gather articles and resources for children’s writers and illustrators. I joined her and together we made a website (now with 1000s of links and 100s of interviews), a Facebook group of over 11,500 members, and more.  
• 12x12 – a paid community of picture book writers with monthly webinars and a private forum to exchange critiques and information. 
• Debut author groups – when authors and illustrators sign contracts for traditional publication, debut year groups form, typically divided between PB and MG/YA creators. These groups have public sites as well as private groups, and are a repository of shared information and support. Some 2021 debut groups include: The 21ders (MG/YA); 21 for the Books(PB), Forever 21 (PB), and new ones are being formed. If you're a MG/YA/adult debut in 2022, ask me about the #22Debuts Slack group. 
• Others: Storystorm (30 PB ideas in January), #ColourCollective (weekly illustration prompt); Sub It Club (FB group for writers on sub to agents); On Submission (FB group for agented authors on sub to publishers)  
• My college roommate, who writes in the adult space, recently discussed a community, Creative Caffeine, that sounds intriguing

 Final Thoughts
Finding community doesn't require a huge group. Having just a couple good writing friends and CPs can be enough. So much of building connections is informal. I've made friends on Twitter (one of my new author friends and I bonded over our love of Battleship Galactica), giving feedback to applicants to AMM or PW, doing writing sprints in Slack groups, and more.  

Also, don't get hung up with connecting with people who may be "important" or who could help you in your journey. The people who will grow with you are truly the best networks. In August I wrote about my PB critique group & how we all started out unpublished and un-agented and now most of us are both. (I connected with them 8 years ago after seeing the FB posts of a writer who seemed to be my twin in outlook on life - Teresa R! - I asked her if she was in a writing group, and the rest was history).
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To read more from my January newsletter​, including a roundup of my favorite 2020 reads, go to The Secret to Networking: The Four C's. To receive notice of new content, subscribe to my newsletter:

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