Back Online!

I am extremely excited to be back online (imagine me doing the "Snoopy dance"). My modem died about 2 1/2 weeks ago. It's been rough not being able to check my email or visit my social networks. I took a survey on Facebook once that asked, "How addicted to Facebook are you?" My results were that I am 100% addicted. I'm a Cyberspace Addict. Did I mention that I really missed being online?. Although I had a combined total of 3800 unread emails from 4 different email accounts that had to be answered, I still missed visiting my social networks, chatting with friends, researching subjects for potential novels, working on my genealogy and just plain hanging out (like at the mall, only sitting in from of a desktop or notebook). Did I mention that I was happy to be back online again? The good thing that came out of not having the internet was that I read a lot--books on the elements of writing and Maryjanice Davidson's entire "Undead" series, including the anthologies and her "Wyndham Werewolves". I was also able to go to bed early--about 10pm, which is early for me.

Learning from Social Networks

I have found quite a few social networks that deal with writers, readers and publishing. They are very interesting sites. I have joined some of them. There are groups within these social networks with such sections as critique groups, newbie writer groups and specific genre groups. Some of these sites offer online workshops on a variety of subjects that I hope one day to participate in/attend. The opinions of the writers/authors that have "been there" and "done that" is very enlightening and encouraging to me--reading about their joy at being published and being able to give a release date for their work , inviting members of the site to read excerpts of their work (I'm excited for them and envious because I can hardly wait for my time) ; and, at the same time discouraging to me because of the frustration and nail-biting associated with manuscript submission and rejections (I am sad for them and hope that this will never be me although I know it will one day. I think you have to experience some rejection in order to appreciate the delirious joy of being published--especially traditional publishing). The writers on these sites give a lot of information about writing and publishing--whether traditional or self publishing. They give a lot of pros and cons for both kinds of publishing. There is a lot of information about marketing/promoting your published work like creating websites and blog posts that will draw readers to your sites. There are all kinds of forums and discussions about everything to do with writing. Being on those sites is kind of like releasing a child in a candy store and then telling that child to choose one item. Its almost impossible to know which way to go to make a selection (blog, forum, discussion or group) and which "item" to choose when you get there. I am learning so much and hope some day in the future I will be able to tell of my own delirious publishing adventure.