Writing is one those hobbies and careers that are two-fold:  community and privacy. The latter is needed because if you write like someone is watching you, you won’t write (ala Nikki Giovanni). The former is needed for a crucial element for creativity. Community, a supportive writing community,  can provide and become three things:  sounding board;  place to recoup when the world is hard; wealth of resources. One of those resources is networking. What is this purpose of networking? Why is it important? Networking allows you to plug into a group of like-minded people whom you are able to ask questions of; seek new opportunities from other writers; share current work and getting feedback. Networking it the secret weapon to building out a writing career! The results are far outweigh any fears! In the age of everything tech-based, and running on apps and downloads, there are lots of writer forums and writing groups which foster the success of the writers which are invited into that space! Networking with a group of people–in this case writers–diminishes the tendency to be anxious about a certain thing! Having a place where you can emote, be reassured and find a safe place to say you are struggling is always reassuring. Join the groups. Lurk if you must, ask your questions in the DM’s of the admins! Through out your struggles to the oceans of forum boards and posts! If you have the desire, go to the meet up luncheons for these groups! Do the Zoom calls or conference call meetings! But do not isolate yourself from a community that exists to care and uplift! Who knows, the people that you hide from  may be the very  people you need! Show yourself, dear one. Give the world your words…so you heart no longer breaks because you can’t write them.