Chicago-North RWA

On Monday night, I attended another meeting of my chapter, Chicago-North RWA. I've learned so much since I've joined there, but I'm always learning more. Sometimes I say I'm going to class when I refer to my meetings, because it seems like one, yet even better.

I don't know what I would have done without the support and friendship of my fellow members. I only know without them I would never have gotten either my mystery, Two Wrongs, or my romantic comedy, Girl of My Dreams, published. Both of them were the object of critiques, where I learned which parts didn't make sense, and I was pointed in the right direction - the path to publication.

Each time a member gets a publication contract, the tradition is to bring chocolate to a meeting. Lots of chocolate made the rounds Monday night. That's a good sign. It means our members know what it takes to get a book published and can help others toward that goal.

On Wednesday, I'll be hosting Debra St. John, a special member of our group. It took a little nudging for her to realize it, but she is very talented. I was honored to provide a blurb for her debut romance, This Time For Always. That was an easy task. I couldn't say enough good words for such a wonderful read.

Debra is one of the many gifted members of our chapter. Anyone who doesn't belong to a supportive writing group such as RWA is missing out on a lot. Check out what's in your area, ask around and see which groups contain people-in-the-know, and consider joining one. It's hard enough to get published. It's even harder if you go it alone.