How can you network and build relationships in the writing industry to support your career development plan?

Providing consultancy (expert opinion) to those who request it and can pay for it. Writers and writings must be ethical in nature and form. Writers are governed by the contract creating the relationship, by legislation (including regulations, rules, policies and procedures). Writers are professionalism with integrity; hence must exercise a duty of care, a standard of care, act in good faith and work diligently and creatively with due diligence, not causing harm or be harmful. The value is in the “taste of the pudding” so write to inspire.

First of all I am glad I can share my ideas in work here in the Linkedin community. I can start with the very basic reason which makes my continuous at work. There is always something special about working in Art specially when you work with children. Each and every time something really new is being created even though the activity descriptions seem to be really the same, the process and outcomes always differ from person to person. That's why these two really suit well together: Children and Art.

I must say that linkedin is best place to build professional networking,meet like minded people,share your knowledge,learn with other fellows and hence boost your business with flying colours.Indeed,you can find a high paying job and can change your life by following right strategies on the plateform.Learn,learn and explore new ways to enhance your skills by collaborating with new people across the world.??

ENGAGE, SHARE, COLLABORATE. ENGAGE proactively by participating in writing workshops, conferences, and online forums to connect with fellow writers, editors, and publishers. SHARE your work on writing platforms, inviting feedback, and reciprocate by offering your own insights. COLLABORATE on writing projects, contribute guest posts, or explore co-authoring opportunities to broaden your network and enrich your career in the writing industry.

Start by attending writing conferences, workshops, and seminars. These events provide opportunities to meet fellow writers, publishers, and literary agents. Engage in conversations, ask questions, and exchange contact information. Consider becoming a member of local or online writing groups. These communities offer a supportive environment for sharing work, receiving feedback, and making valuable connections with peers who share your interests. Social media platforms, especially Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, are excellent tools for connecting with other writers, editors, and literary professionals. Follow industry influencers, participate in relevant discussions, and share your work to attract like-minded individuals.

Here′s where the power of the internet comes in handy. Technology is a delicate matter in which could be used for good and bad, but when used properly, it can be a colosal leveraging agent. There′s dozens of different social media platforms for you to use and each one has it′s own language and format. So take your time to identify which works better for you and make the most out of it. Makes no sense to spend our energy and talent writing in places nobody will see when there′s already plenty of social media platforms with millions of users worldwide waiting to see your content.

Writing is a social activity. Find a platform where you enjoy posting your work and responding to others' work... and spend lots of time there. You want to be a recognized creator in a specific space. Once you've established yourself on one platform, then move on to another platform and repurpose your writing there. Find the platforms that work for you. Social media is an incredibly powerful tool for writers... but it's difficult to be present on every single platform (unless you have a robust team behind you).

Social media can be just the tip of the iceberg. Many groups that you can find on social media have private groups elsewhere or email lists that you can connect to. Some of those lists are newsletters with writing tips and job boards. As the internet has grown, the world has become a much smaller place. For example, I can find tips from someone on the other side of the country that I would have otherwise never met because I found their work online.

In a world where not everybody sees the value and power of words, it is great to surround yourself with people who share the same passion as yours. Not just to feel you belong but to gain inspiration and lessons. Surround yourself with 4 winners and you will be the 5th. Having someone who share the same hobby, interest, idea, and passion with you will ignite the fire in you. It is great nowadays that we have various platforms and options as to how we could network and build relationships. It might took me long to finally give myself the chance to pursue my dreams but I have been very active in joining events, workshops, communities, groups or whatever it is that I could learn new things and meet new people. I'm glad I did that for myself.

A fabulous international writing community for authors interested in working with teens and children is the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). I highly recommend joining your local chapter.

I once heard networking described as farming, not hunting, and I love this metaphor. It's about sowing seeds, nurturing growth and feeding your community, not heading out with your spear to slay what you can.

In my experience, this is actually the hardest part when creating connections but it′s the one that will ultimately allow you to grow and have people who support you. Social media resembles real life in the way that you′re not going to find friends just by staying at home and waiting for them to knock on your door. You have to go out of your way and find them, talk to them, get genuinely interested in them, only then you′ll find real friends. Jake Knapp said it himself: What better way to success than having a group of people supporting you and who know your work. It′s not a perfect quote but the idea goes something like that!

The way I like to reach out to other writers and bloggers is to simply email them AFTER reading one of their articles or stories. I give my opinion and a piece of insight and perhaps even ask what they think. This will show them you actually cared enough to read their work. Never reach out blindly. Many are already doing that. And definitely don't reach out with a template email.

This can be difficult because it involves allowing yourself to be vulnerable. It can really pay off, though. I have a wonderful mentor that I met through a mentoring program. It started off kind of casual, but she has been instrumental in assisting me to complete my MSN this year! Since she has experience writing nursing education books, I was very reluctant to let her see my written work at first. However, I finally came to the conclusion that I would never get any better without exposing my work to someone else and getting honest feedback. I hope she never stops giving me heartfelt feedback!

Rejections are not for everyone that's why reaching out and initiating conversations is not as easy as how it sounds. I had my own doubts and holdbacks. But after giving birth and getting through a lot of pain and challenges the past few months hungered me to be more of myself. I decided to be brave enough to reach out to people I look up to, initiate conversations with people I could learn from, listen to their ideas and opinions. Accepting that there is just so much you have to learn and explore is they key to getting the courage to reach out. It opened a lot of doors for me, and I want to do the same for others. LET US HEAR EACH OTHER'S STORIES.

One of the best ways to maintain professional relationships as a writer, in my experience, is to provide value. Just found a new opportunity that’s outside your niche, but fits the experience of a colleague? Let them know or tag them! Your friend’s startup is offering a new product or service within your industry? Throw them a quick LinkedIn post! Generosity is never overrated, but moreover, providing value is more than just “what goes around comes around” - it’s a way to show you’re authentic and looking to foster genuine relationships, not just ask for favors.

Even online relationships need nurturing (just like pen pals in the old days). Sometimes I think they may even require more. We may take in-person relationships for granted because we are in the other's presence. When your relationship is strictly virtual, it is important to make every moment count.

Think about a relationship with your partner. You wouldn′t like her/him to talk to you only once every month and spend you as little time as possible right? Same goes for friends, whether they be online or in person. People need constant communication and for that, you′ll need to nurture this relationships. In my experience, the more you do for others, the more you get back from them. It′s a perfect system in which every thing you do for them comes back to you multiplied by 10x. So make the most out of it, ain′t nothing better than having people who authentically like you and your work.

-Seek out people that you resonate with, tell them how much you like their work and their style. -Create opportunities for connection and collaboration. -Nurture satisfying relationships that have a mutually positive exchange for both parties. -Encourage those you see doing great work at every level. People enjoy working with people who appreciate them and see their value. -Strike up casual conversations in appropriate places (a cafe, a gym, a class, a party) about people's passions. This can lead to deep connections that lead to satisfying mutual relationships. -Help people in their journey. Be positive, be natural, and have no manipulative ends other than wanting joyful success for both of you through any channel.

One way to showcase your work and offer value is by documenting and sharing your processes or learnings. Do you have a system or structure that takes you from point A to Z? Sharing it can be helpful to the next writer or editor. This requires discipline on your part to note things, changes, and patterns in how your work. Have you read a book that improved your work? Share it and explain how you applied your learnings to achieve results. If it benefited you, it may help someone else. You may think, "I'm not an expert..." but consider what you've learned from experts that work. Perhaps, you're not the destination, but you can be the guide there.

There′s a great book called Show Your Work by Austin Kleon and he makes it perfectly clear how paramount for our own success it is to show our work. Not only the final product, but the process as well. Share what you love, and the people who love the same things will find you. - Austin Kleon The only way to grow and create a network of people just like you, is by sharing what you do with the world!

Do not just measure your networking results by the number of connections or followers, but look at a broader picture with both tangible (impressions, reach, visits, traffic...) and intangible values (improving your skills, widening your knowledge or increasing your inspiration...) you have got from the networking strategies. You might or might not reach your initial goals but you definitely get few lessons which are valuable for your upcoming path. Therefore, do not just plan or see the difficulties, do it, learn from it, optimize it and you will grow.

Be open to accepting invites from others in the writing community, as this can open up your world to a large array of new opportunities.

I want to add a few things that are missing here: 1) If you're looking for free mentorship, go with the two or three steps above you and are still learning to improve. They will not only give you free mentorship, but you can also learn valuable things. And in return, you can offer them free or low-cost service. 2) If you're a complete beginner, your mindset should be to learn and build a portfolio for which accepting peanuts is okay. 3) Share your journey, failures, and successes with others. Everyone is a failure, so you don't have to hide it. Failure is like that night before the light appears in the sky. That's all, folks!

Remember that networking is about building genuine relationships. Approach each interaction with authenticity, respect, and a willingness to give as much as you receive. Over time, your network will become a valuable resource for support, advice, and opportunities as you progress in your writing career.

As people said here, join groups, and go to workshops, ideally in person. When someone knows you they are more likely to give you what we call a warm read, that is you jump the slush pile and are given a chance to really show what you can do. And take the feedback. No one likes anyone who is unteachable.

Don't be afraid to ask for feedback, be credited, or get testimonials Due to internal, personal, or resource-related reasons, your network members and clients might not send you testimonials, credit you as a part of the project, or credit you as a collaborator. Don't be afraid and shy to remind them about your value and ask to be mentioned or included! While communicating, remember always to be: - Polite - Unobtrusive - Friendly - Emphatic Don't push too hard if you're being rejected, and remember that there might be numerous internal or external reasons why you weren't credited.