The Importance of Community and Networking for Writers

The Importance of Community and Networking for Writers: My Journey with Author Alka Joshi

Writing is a solitary pursuit, with authors spending countless hours lost in their own worlds with their stories. However, the value of community and networking cannot be overstated for writers. Building connections with fellow industry professionals enhances our craft and provides support, inspiration, and valuable opportunities. 

As an aspiring writer, I found great admiration for Alka Joshi‘s work. Her debut novel, “The Henna Artist,” captivated me with its rich storytelling and vivid portrayal of Indian culture. I wrote about her book for Ms. Magazine and sent her my article.

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From her social media, I found out about her class at Kepler’s called Beyond the Manuscript about agents, publishers and working with developmental editors. She shared personal anecdotes as well as struggles and triumphs as a writer. She and her agent talked about the book process and of course re-writing!

When each of her next books came out, I wrote about those and interviewed Alka again! I loved The Secret Keeper of Jaipur and The Perfumist of Paris perhaps even more than the original book in the Jaipur trilogy!

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Through connections made during workshops and events, I had the chance to attend writing conferences and participate in critique groups. The support and advice I received helped me find my book agent.

After I interviewed Christie Tate, NYTimes bestselling author of GROUP and BFF, for my podcast, she encouraged me to ask Alka if she might be willing to read my book, Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty. 

Not only did she read my book, but she also wrote this amazing blurb for me:

“Niver’s global travel exploits had me simultaneously chewing my fingernails and cheering her on as she challenged herself to greater and riskier feats in search of self. Compelling and engrossing. A must-read for fans of Wild and Eat, Pray, Love!”

My journey with the extraordinary author Alka Joshi has proven that it’s not just about crafting beautiful stories alone; it’s about immersing yourself in a world where passionate creators unite, elevate each other, and push the boundaries of imagination.

Thank you to Happiness Between Tails by da-AL for inspiring and first publishing this article.