[Michael R. Hicks]

I happened to see on Meetup.com that there are quite a few local writers groups, and was curious how many (if any) authors on here belonged to one?

 

[Amanda Brice]

Not through Meetup, but I'm the president of my local RWA chapter. We have monthly day-long workshops. I also like to attend conferences when time permits.

I feel it's important to my development of craft, plus the network is crucial to business. And it's just really inspirational and fun!

 

[deana]

I just joined one here in Houston, and I've been trying to figure out when to attend one since they meet for different reasons and the ones I wanted to go to, so far, haven't been good dates. But I do plan to partipate.

I've particpated on a MeetUp on publishing a couple of years back and that was very insightful, but they stopped meeting. Also, people who were there to sale their services started to make up most of the group, so it messed up the atmosphere.

But I think they're awesome! Especially if you're in a big city. In smaller areas, there aren't much groups to particpate in anything.  I think I'll participate in a Meetup that go to movies!

 

[41413]

I would love to, except for the paralyzingly horror of having to put on pants, breathe outside air, and feel the sun on my flesh. HISS.

 

[vrabinec]

I think the problem with these kinds of groups is finding peers, and by "peers" I mean people who at about your own writing experience and skill, so you don't become the teacher of a bunch of newbies or the newbie wasting the time of people you can't really help much yet. Especially when you narrow it down to a genere like sci-fi. Besides, sci-fi authors are a creepy lot. I don't think we should be in the same room. Stuff might start to melt.

 

[clgordon]

Not since college, I'm afraid. Gotta get over this social anxiety. I want to network and meet new peeps!

 

[tensen]

Not official meetup, but I do belong to a local writers group. Technically I think we have a meetup group associated with the Garden State Speculative Fiction Writers. http://www.gshw.net

I'm also a member of other groups, or at least visit them from time to time.

 

[dalya]

I went to one and I frightened them.

 

[Lisa J. Yarde]

I went to one Meetup and never went back. Completely missed the purpose as being intended for writing, not networking time. I can get much more accomplished on my own without sitting next to strangers in a crowded. noisy Starbucks.

 

[Al Dente]

Sunlight? The outside world? PEOPLE? The kind of people that aren't on teh innernetz? *shivers*

 

[CEMartin2]

I barely have time to write, going to a meeting would cut into that time. Now if there was a local promoters group, I'd go to that...

 

[martyinmaui]

Well I live on an island and I think there are a couple of writer's who live upcountry that get together for coffee and that's about it here. Seriously, I've attended 6 writer's conferences, and I have learned that all authors are not created equal. I believe someone in the thread already mentioned the issue of finding "peers." I write nonfiction/self help so I find I have better luck connecting with like-minded writers in online author groups.