Why social networking in the real world is important for writers, bloggers and authors

The virtual world offers writers a fantastic opportunity to open the mind and let their thoughts soar. No boundaries, no constraints. Just you, your thoughts and your creative output. Inspiring and poetic, huh? But if you have been writing for a while, you’ll agree that after a while it can start seeming like a pretty solitary activity, with you in front of your computer typing away to glory.

I worked in the corporate world for several years and each day would be filled with multiple meetings with members from various departments. Apart from the analytical and documentation work, every activity revolved around people. After saying adieu to the corporate environment, there was this suddenly change in my work ambience.

So when I got an email from Indiblogger, a popular networking site for Indian bloggers, inviting me to attend a blogger meet they were organising in Mumbai, it took me just a few seconds to go on their website and register. It was my first meet and I had no clue what to expect. The meet was being sponsored by MasterChef India 2, a cookery show on Start Plus and hosted at RK Studios. The TV studio ambience was excellent and the 3 hours agenda for the day was quite interesting. Apart from the promotion for the show, there was a chance to interact with other bloggers and get involved in some interesting cooking/cutting/slicing contests.

Compared to the guys that I had been interacting with in my professional circles – mostly engineers, CAs, MBAs – the backgrounds of the bloggers were pretty eclectic. Right from fashion photographers to entrepreneurs. The age group ranged from 16 year olds to 60. Each blogger was pretty much an expert in a specific domain and in the art of SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Good content is nothing if it can’t reach out to its target audience.

All in all, a very invigorating experience. Looking forward to more such meets.

Here are 5 reasons why face-to-face networking is important for writers, authors and bloggers:

– A chance to move out of the virtual world and connect with ‘real’ people.

– The relationships forged over a cuppa can be stronger than in cyberspace.

– It’s a great way to exchange ideas with folks who you’d normally not get a chance to interact with. Freshers ideas can translate to fresher content.

– Good way to brush up on those social skills (using the voice and body language for communication as opposed to just fingers tapping away on a keyboard) which got pushed to the backburner since you started working from home.

– There’s more trust when you meet someone in person and then continue the association back to the virtual world.



12 thoughts on “Why social networking in the real world is important for writers, bloggers and authors”

  1. Hi Sameer

    Thanks for a wonderful site you have built to help us budding authors.
    I have a few short stories written for Children. Can you tell me how to get started.

    Reply
  2. Is it possible to convince the publisher to pay a curtain amount of money for every book sold, say 20 rupees per book or is this impossible.

    Reply
  3. i want to publish my first novel wich is in gujarati lanuage ,what steps should i take?plz mantion me proper path…

    Reply
  4. Hi Sameer,
    “Thank you” does’nt begin to sum up the gratitude felt by clueless aspiring writers like me out here, but due to lack of words(which is’nt good for a guy claiming to want to be a writer), a big Thank You.

    Also, I was wondering, is’nt it possible for literary agents or publishing houses to print your novel under someone else’s name. I wake up one day to find my story being published with another name, and a different face. How do we avoid a nightmare like that?

    Reply
  5. Hello Sameer,
    I am writing a one fiction,fantasy,adventurous,suspense story (which belongs two part) not in English, But in regional language ‘Marathi’. Is it OK to publish it first with Marathi and then translate it into English? Though I am not sure about my good English grammar, I decided to first go for Marathi as I can write good in Marathi. I nearly completed whole story and I am about to start write down it. I really need suggestion for what language should I go? I really don’t write for market perspective, I write with on thing in my mind that I have to deliver good story to audience.

    Reply
  6. Dear Sameer

    I have written a book containing quotes and thoughts. I have published this on Kindle.

    Need your help to understand the process to go in for a print edition.

    To get copyright whether i need to publish the book first, then send the copy to the Copyright office.

    Or a simple printout of the book is sufficient for the copyright office.

    Also the checklist and other stuff at the Copyright website is quite confusing.

    Could you please guide about the steps involved in simple terms?

    Reply
  7. Over a period of time from class I to class XII (2016), my son has written poems numbering more than 100 and these have been published in various children’s magazines and some children’s websites. I would like to convert the collection of poems around 125 poems/pages) into a book with illustrations. Kindly guide me.

    Reply
  8. good info !! thank you ..
    and the same will applicable for Music/Lyric or jst a (c) own claim can ?!! or is it mandatory to reg with govt body .
    am a freelancer haven’t registered any on my name , how can i make it without any pirate copy f same .

    Reply
  9. Hi sameer, myself chirag ,i want to know about the procedure to copyright my book in as many as countries in one go ,can you help me about this aspect ,my book is on the ‘GOD’ and its creations.

    Thank you.

    Reply
  10. I am a B.Tech graduate from College of Engineering Trivandrum in 1991.I like to get published my project report on flexural strength of fibrous ferro cement.Let me know the procedure to publish the report as a book

    Reply
  11. Hello Mr Kamat,

    I am about to self publish my work i just wanted to know how much is it necessary to copyright my work

    Reply
  12. Hi I am a hindi writer i have written a motivational book (philosophy) .
    Can you please guid me how to get a publisher for it and what approach should i use

    Reply

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