Any good writer cannot live in a bubble. I’m sure even George RR Martin who everyone knows I fan girl must have his people that he trusts with his novels.
I have my squad of Kristin Wallace (inspirational author), Sheena Snow (YA author), Rossie Cortes (PR executive and will be published thriller writer), and Kimberly Gonzales (A historical writer with more experience than me.) I met my squad at the Florida Romance Writers meeting and we had a few things in common… one being our address; we’re all in the 305 area code. Our address being in Miami Dade and our love for writing helped us form our squad where we get together as much as we can.
Our local chapter of RWA covers many counties and covers a wide geographic region.
So this weekend I’m going to the local FRW meeting to show my face and to meet new people, say hello to other writers in the area and apparently today we’re doing critiques. So I might hear new voices that I don’t already know.
If you are a writer or thinking about writing, I absolutely recommend going to a local chapter of the genre you write or the closest one you can. Meeting other writers, getting career advice, sharing information on publishing, and so much more is worth it’s weight in your career.
Our chapter was started by the amazing Heather Graham, our founding mother and she’ll be on our biannual cruise conference, Cruise with Your Muse. If you want to meet her and join a great conference in 2017, I highly recommend going. (Conferences are another topic but I love those too!)
Do not go to the chapters expecting to find people who will read your work. This comes with making connections and building trust and rapport. If your open to understanding the business of writing and meeting people then attending a meeting and putting yourself out there is paramount.
In a few hours I’ll get dressed and head out the door.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find a local romance writers group to join?
To find a local romance writers group, look for a chapter of Romance Writers of America (RWA) in your area. Chapters often cover wide geographic regions, so search for the closest one to your genre. Attending meetings helps you get career advice, share publishing information, meet other writers, and build connections that can support your writing career.
What should I expect at my first Romance Writers of America chapter meeting?
At a first RWA chapter meeting, expect to meet local writers, hear different voices, and participate in activities like critiques. Do not go expecting people to read your manuscript immediately — that comes with time, trust, and rapport. Focus on being open to learning about the business of writing and putting yourself out there to make genuine connections.
Is joining a local writing chapter better than trying to find writing partners on your own?
Joining a local writing chapter is more effective than searching for writing partners alone because it puts you in a room with multiple writers across experience levels at once. The author of this post met her entire writing squad — spanning inspirational, YA, thriller, and historical fiction — through Florida Romance Writers (FRW), all from her Miami-area community.
