In the past, when I was more social in the physical world (as opposed to online), I’ve had more than one conversation with fellow authors who teach creative writing. One common thread that emerged is this anger or resentment some contain because they feel we are gatekeeping some magic formula for success. They want an “in” which they feel will come through osmosis or something that would be presented to them on a silver platter. Nothing could be further from the truth.
It is true that you need to work hard, be relatively diligent in crafting your stories. And it is true that you need to put yourself out there — but be careful and wise in how you do it. I may enjoy the luxury now of not being active on social media but I do it knowing I have networks and contacts — slightly less now because I’ve drastically reduced access to me. So I totally do not endorse going underground totally unless it’s absolutely neceessary !
How did I get contacts and networks? Accidentally, mostly. But also, I got to know a lot of people the hard way. Through working on my stories, through submitting them, through being rejected and sometimes accepted. Somehow, while I was blundering my way through the process I got to know people I worked with, appreciated and sometimes friendships happened. These were not things that helped me get published. Often they happened after I got published. Other times people were reading my blog-blatherings (way back in the day), contacted me and then later added me on social media. It’s weird how things happened in the `90s and 00s. You wouldn’t believe how many people I met through my blogs and the jobs I got because of my websites. It wasn’t premeditated. It just happened. And when the age of Web 2.0 happened we were all just blundering into the same author/genre networks because everyone was trying to find everyone else. It was a more innocent time! Today, there are several social media sites (bsky, Threads, mastodon) when friendships and networking can happen but usually these things work best when you’re not so obviously strategising and promoting. People want to see who you are and there has to be a narrative that engages. Conversely, if you are fake and calculative, people have a radar for this as well. Mostly for me my social media policy has always been to be “myself” but carefully so, and to enjoy talking to people with whom I feel comfortable. As I grew older, there were less and less of these people as I reduced access to myself. But if you’re of a more outgoing nature, make use of that and have a blast! Just don’t expect a magical success happening overnight. These things take time and as with the working world, nobody appreciates a user. So don’t be a person who uses others.
My point is that ultimately what you bring to the table is you so be you, but also respect yourself and respect others. Not every table will be a table you might feel comfortable sitting at. Learn when it is time to leave. And know yourself! I know for me with my own peculiarities and stand-offish introversion, there are very few tables that I would care to visit. But for me the ones that feel right are the ones that matter; I learned this through trial and error. There was never a secret “in” for me. There was just a series of blunders and people being kind to me, and other people being delightfully professional and competent, making me want to work with them again and again because they made me feel safe. There was also a fair bit of luck, I think.
So my advice — which you may or may not take with a pinch of salt — is to enjoy the knowledge you gain from every creative writing course. It’s good to take more than one course, to learn what you can from different writing teachers (or writing books). Ultimately it’s your stories, your personality and your work ethic that can make a difference. Don’t stop at creative writing workshops and then not do anything with what you’ve learned. These workshops are just the starting point for some — and I never had any before I was published, became an editor and then was asked to teach creative writing! Persevere and keep writing, keep refining that craft and don’t be scared to submit your works to good publications. And if you put yourself out there or want to network, make sure to find people who feel safe to you. Not people who will manipulate and gaslight you into accepting unacceptable behaviour in the name of career advancement. Only sit at tables that feel safe and don’t make you feel unwelcome from the start. This is one advice I wish someone had told me back in the day. Would have saved me a lot of grief. Follow your instinct!
Also, don’t let anyone gatekeep you or tell you bullshit like, “you need to get to know people to be published” or “let us check your work (as friends) and only when we screen it then you can submit it”. I can tell you what my internal response as an author has been, time and time again when people pull this with me: “You’re not the boss of me” and, “lol, o rly?”
Till the next blog post,
xx
Anita