I believe this is a great idea. I often get stumped and wish I had someone to ask for an opinion that has been in the same boat. I am willing to share and help others and I look forward to seeing posts. 

Emma Achieng wrote:

hello,,

i read a lot and can refer meaningful articles and such related stuff.this is it for a start.we'll do more in coming times.

all the best. 

I definitely need this. I'm not new to being a writer but perhaps I had beginners luck. I am struggling to the point of questioning and doubting myself as to what I should be doing and feel like I lost my edge - me-  in ways that I'm perhaps more uncomfortable and less tolerant of now than ever before. For me, the ageism and classism, has created a whole new phenomenon for me. Coming to the conference last year made it clear to me that I would be thriving if I had that community all the time. My other communities I had worked with has basically dropped out with retirement and I'm out of sync with the world changes. And there are too many women like me struggling like me that we can't help each other.  Part of the reason I am out of sync is actually due to my success. Believe it or not.  To be specific, at the moment, I could really use a good chat that helps me clarify what my relationship to writing is right now and to get clear in what direction I should go. It just doesn't work to talk to non-writers. I know this group is supportive of writing as I'm speechless over the experiences I had in the past, but I really don't need a pat answer. I need a reality check.

Hey, Karen Henninger:  Excellent idea: I'll implement a members-only Writer Chat in our online Digital Village, after the dust clears from the Summer Conference. Wonderful!

Esther Oyolo:  IWWG primarily offers education and community. So, yes, publishing is one of our educational focuses, but we don't connect individual writers to individual publishers. We do, at our Spring Big Apple Conference, in New York City, usually in April, have an agents panel and set attendees up in one-on-one sessions with those agents--so that's one way we effectively serve writers in their publishing process. In our online Digital Village, we plan to offer a Submissions Panel webinar--one focused on literary journals will be happening in late August (not scheduled yet), and eventually we'll have a Submissions Panel that focuses on book-submission.  As far as helping our members sell their books, we don't offer an online store (and won't likely ever do that). How we help our writers in promoting their books is they can submit their book-publication news to our "Hot Off the Presses!" section of our quarterly newsletter.  That info is included in your membership/welcome letter, but I can resend it to you if you email me at iwwgquestions@iiwwg.org.  I hope this will be helpful for you!