Making Connections in the Literary Community

There’s something magical about connecting with another person. Like plugging your phone into an outlet right before its battery becomes completely depleted.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you should connect every single moment of the day (unless that’s your jam). You wouldn’t leave the device plugged to the wall socket forever, would you?

So I’ve been thinking about authors I’ve made meaningful connections with in the literary community.

• Jenny Bravo on her novel and two novellas (#AllTheFeels)
• Kristen Kieffer with her snarky antagonist (I love Ren. I can’t wait for the novels to be published!)
• Sean Kelly about his horror novel (affiliate link) – the first I’ve ever read in the genre!

Of course, there are other instances where I’ve written reviews for authors’ work and have tried reaching out through email / Twitter (‘cause that’s my jam, yo) but unfortunately haven’t heard back.

And that’s totally okay. Some we’ll be able to reach. Others we’ll only speak to their assistants or receive automated replies. The point is that we do our part.

So this month’s challenge:

Read a book. Write a review for it. Reach out to the author.

Three steps we all can do. You don’t have to read with pen, sticky notes, and Google at the ready. You don’t need to write a five-paragraph essay denoting the symbolism presented throughout the novel. And certainly no need to write ten pages of adoration to the author (unless you want to).

Keep it simple. Read the book in its entirety, holding onto what resonates with you. Share that tidbit in a brief review – maybe a paragraph – on the platform of your choice (blog, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.).  Then write an equally short snippet of gratitude to the author, expressing what you enjoyed most about her/his work. That’s it.

Why does this connection matter?

1. We keep the literary circle alive. Your review might be the reason another reader decides to pick up the book. Your words might spark interest in the genre. You never know who might benefit from your opinion in our circle of book dragons. We need each other.
2. We learn how to network. Someone might want to connect with you in return. You might find a new friend in the author you’re reaching out to. But you’ll never know if you keep your mouth (er, Twitter / email?) closed.
3. We encourage the author. To me, this may be one of the most important reasons. My write dream is to one day have my work touch the life of at least one person. If I inspire just one person, my book has accomplished its purpose. No matter how “famous” or new an author might be, your voice counts. We authors have fragile souls (even if we deny it). Encouragement and constructive criticism adds strength to our armor.

So go forth into the literary community. Read. Review. Connect. Repeat.