One of the reasons I love being an author is because I get to meet and spend time with other writers and authors. I find them fascinating, delightful, and helpful to the max.

A case in point is the recent Meet the Authors day at my local library. This event, hosted by Friends of the Library, consisted of an informal panel of writers who live and write in our small community in the Northern California foothills.

Panel participants, whose book titles range from romance and children’s books to young adult novels (moi) and hiking in the Sierra/Nevada, were impressive, both in the knowledge of their subjects and in their talent. (I speak of the others, not myself.) Many of these people are self-published authors and writers who generously shared their publishing process with the audience. Others talked about what it’s like to be published by a commercial house. To a person, the panelists were more than willing to spell out what they have learned along the way, including tips for marketing, so others will have a less difficult time navigating the process when their turns come. I am honored to have been included in this group.

I’d also like to give a shout out to the California Writers Club, Sacramento Branch, of which I am a proud member. Being part of this organization has allowed me access to a number of great guest speakers, including Smashword’s Mark Coker and Martha Alderson, The Plot Whisperer, from whom I learned new twists on some very basic skills. If you aren’t acquainted with Alderson, I recommend you visit blockbusterplots.com and check out her resources page. She has a series of free videos that can be helpful.

Each of the gatherings mentioned here represent an ideal way for writers and authors to network with others in the literary field. This type of networking offers friendships, as well as the exchange of ideas about craft that can be hard to come by for most of us involved in such a solitary endeavor.