Why use AW?

It's a sense of community: to interact with other writers, published and unpublished. To share opinions, information, and news about writing and publishing. Also to improve ourselves and our writing. There's always something to learn. Even though many of us are published in one respect or another, there's still room to grow and improve.

allen

I'm not the best person to answer this (not being published) but I'd guess most writers would say there's always room to improve - getting advice and opinions from people here is a big help for anyone. Plus there's the benefit of talking to people who know exactly what it's like to be a writer.

I don't think being published means a writer knows it all and wouldn't benefit from advice and support.

I've been published but like seun sort of said; all writers can benefit from advice and support. For me I'm really social; and stuck for hours each day - alone - in a room - with my computer - Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Plus even though I have a lot of jobs there is always something I don't know. Like about PayPal for instance or the new Women's Day guidelines or even sometimes how much time I should be spending per job. I found all that stuff out here. I slack in certain areas that I shouldn't (like query sending) so that I can focus on blogging but article would bring in better money. The just hit send threads are really helping me with that.

Basically you can always learn something new here or go to the party threads to unwind after way too long a day alone.

Why do you come here? If you don't mind me asking.

Take care
~ Jennifer

Hi Mum23 - I joined AW over a year ago as a hopeful writer like almost everyone else. At that time I had two novels completed and was working on a third one. I got a lot of good suggestions for fixes to my completed and in progress novel. After several more revisions, novel 2 was picked up by a publisher during the winter. But, in my opinion, novels 1 and 3 are decent and I'd like to find them a home. Several months ago there was a beta challenge here and I got more comments and a beta read on novel 3 (more revisions). But I'm still looking for homes for 1 and 3 (and contemplating starting on novel 4).

Why do I stay on AW? I check out agents and publishers in Bewares and Background Checks. If I'm starting to doubt my query letter and synopsis for the novels I'm marketing I take a look at ones in the SYW query forum (and the crits) to get ideas how to beef mine up. And in between, I also look at items posted in SYW and do crits which have a double benefit of hopefully helping the poster and also helping me see potential problems in my writing. I also check out several of the other forums on a daily basis - Roundtable, Experts and Interviewees, Historical Genre (sometimes Mainstream) because sometimes there are topics (like this one) where I can provide input to others. AW has a lot to offer but I like to feel that I am giving back to the AW community too. Puma

I'm just here for the cookies.

No, seriously, when I found AW about two years ago, I had just self-pubbed a novel through Booksurge, and realized belatedly that there was far more to being a writer than just putting together a story. I have learned so much here from the people in this community.

And even though I'm now published, I still value the information I can get from the folks on this site.

And the cookies

I've made many invaluable contacts through AW. I've met friends, but I have also made connections that ended up in writing jobs. I owe much to AW.

Because Absolute Write is Hotel California. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave...



I hang around for the company. It gets lonely here in my barren office, in my barren house, all by me onesies. And there is a lot of great information to be found. I would have been sunk without Bewares & Backgrounds.

I was here before I had my first book published, and now...I just can't seem to shake it off.

Nah, I like it here. It's fun to see where everyone else is, and compare notes, and learn from other people. And published writers still need people to read their stuff and give opinions, which isn't easy to get out in the real world.

I like the companionship of other writers. No matter how successful you may become, it's still a solitary pursuit.

And no matter how successful you become, there's always more to learn. Publication isn't the end, it's the beginning!

I think many artists enjoy helping new artists and giving back to their profession. They were mentored along the way, and it's just natural to help others once you’re in a position to be a mentor.

AW is an unusual community. The standard of professionalism and respect for fellow artists is extremely high. It's something I don't take for granted and I'm very thankful AW exists, and thankful to those who make AW possible.

Oh, and the cookies. Good cookies…

For reasons the others have stated already, plus the fact that writers are an odd bunch - and where else but here can you find a bunch of equally odd people who understand your . . . Oddness?

My WIP is number 13 for me, novel-wise, and until coming here there we precious few people I could chat with about characters, plots, punctuation, frustration, confusion, and Orlando Bloom. I used to be satisfied with e-pubbing, now I'm working toward regular print publishing. Something I couldn't have worked up the intestinal fortitude for without having come here first.

The cookies are okay, but the pancakes are better.

What everyone said.

I already had a small town weekly newspaper column when I came here, but was trying my hand at fiction and felt I needed to find a way to improve my writing other than buying self-help books. That's why I first came to the Water Cooler, and though I have yet to sell a novel (currently working on #3), both short story sales I have came through being a member here.

And, as you can tell by what's under my nick, I really got hooked by this place and know I'll be a part of it until the day I die.

What they all said, plus I get to hang out with hot chicks like Mac.

I'm one of the unpublished ones but I think the published authors like the sense of community here and sharing and like to help other writers.

Well, for me it's a place to connect with other writers who can understand when I about a plot taking a left turn away from my outline, or when I about a rejection of a favorite storyline. (yeah, even pubbed authors get rejected)

And, it's a place where I can help along the people like you, mum23. Without someone taking me under a wing to explain how the business worked, it would have been much harder. Here, there are a LOT of warm, inviting wings.

I came across AW while searching for info on a particular agent. Lurked for a while, then started posting when I had specific info on a posed question.

Now it gives me a place to go when I need a break from writing without leaving my keyboard. (If I get up, it's sometimes hours before I sit down again.)

And it's always interesting. Some of the people here I hugely respect. Some others at least I find entertaining. Why would I leave just because I sold a book or two? I still learn more than I instruct, and I always have fun.

...Why 'use' AW? I am not sure that I 'use' it. From my perspective, this implies that the communication and benefit is one way and one-sided.
No.

AW first and foremost provides interaction, helping overcome isolation, one of the biggest drawbacks in this type of existence* (as others have expressed).It is not for nothing this section is termed the 'Water Cooler'.

In the process, I have been treated to a good laugh at least once a week (two to three signifies a very good week!), and along the way, have contributed to some of the discussions, of which some have been very lively. There's the intellectual element in some of these that helps prevent me from losing my 'edge'. Some have even chosen to indicate privately that they have read and agreed with what I've said; some have done the opposite. There's also the help gained via the Tech forum, one of my regular visits, and to learn in other forums of interest.

* I was reminded of a quote by Norman Mailer. When asked about what he thought about the writer's lifestyle, he replied that "writers don't have 'lifestyles'-they just sit in their rooms and write." This had some resonance even for me, a 'mere' article writer (full-time).

I joined AW to learn more about the craft of writing. I've learned a lot and right now I'm not interested in learning, I just want to get the story out and finish it for once, THEN I'll come back and apply all the wonderful advice that's contained here. But right now, all that advice is just unearthing my inner editor and that's hindering my writing.

So why am I still here? Because the people here are great I've had the best of lucks to find two excellent groups of people, one in real life and another here in AW. Even though I've never met any of you personally, I still feel deeply connected to all of you, not only because we all have the same ultimate dream, but because we are very similar in many ways. This is a great place to have deep conversations, ask for advice in almost anything, joke around, mess around and well, whatever you want to do. As I said, people here are great, and even if I decided that writing is not for me and thew my pen away (not happening!), I'd still stick around because of the people.

If - sorry, WHEN - I am published I'll stay here for two reasons. Firstly, I've made a lot of friends here and secondly, if it weren't for published authors staying here and passing on what they've learned, I would never have had a request for a partial. Sure, I'm unpublished but I've learned more from my membership of AW in a relatively short time than I have in years of reading 'how to write' books and attending writing courses at college. The advice you get here can be tailored to your situation and there's no shame in asking supposedly 'stupid' questions that aren't answered in a book. So when my publication date arrives maybe I can pass on what I've learned from everyone here, onto new members?

Because a writer's office can be a terribly lonely place...

Because we have no water cooler to gossip around... (getting the dog a bowl of water in the kitchen doesn't count)

Because we all need ways to procrastinate when the writing's not going well...

Because only other writers/industry folk, pubbed or unpubbed, "get it."

Because a bulletin board is a terrible thing to waste...

Okay, I hang because I like the people around here. There's always something interesting going on. And it's a fun place to talk shop.

Plus, we have really cool emoticons.

Susan G.

You'll find that this is a hub for amateur and professional writers alike. I mean that in terms of pay, not in terms of skill. Some of the coolest short stories I've read have never been published.

I'm not clear on why someone would go away just because they've been paid a few times.

I use AW for the solid advice and feedback, both from amateurs and professionals alike. The key reason for me being here is seeing how perseverance in this business pays off; it's way too easy to let ideas fizzle, even good ones, mainly because of writing being a solitary effort. I get my inspiration from people who had an idea, ran with it, and made it, and from those who keep at it despite the mounting rejections. And the community dynamic has allowed me to just be myself without making any apologies for it.