My summer home is a cottage on the east coast of Georgian Bay. Weather permitting, I swim laps across our small bay for an hour. Before I hit the water, I don my wetsuit. That’s right, a wetsuit.
Why should a tough Canadian need a wussy wetsuit? We’re all polar bears, right? Um, not so much. I wear the wetsuit for safety, buoyancy, and warmth. Besides, the hubby thinks it’s hot! Isn’t every man’s dream to have his very own Bond girl?
So, what’s a wetsuit got to do with romance writing?
The Romance Writers of America is your wetsuit in the deep and chilly waters of romance fiction.
Safety
Through its myriad chapters, the RWA provides a safe place for a newbie to learn the endless craft of romance writing. Local chapters have monthly meetings and there’s the mega-conference known as Nationals. My local chapter, theToronto Romance Writers, has offered fabulous workshops with amazing speakers such as Mary Buckham, Dianna Love, and Donald Maass—and that’s just in the last three months! Editor panels at the larger conferences give a peek at the inner workings of publishers large and small, print or electronic.
Buoyancy
Got rejections deep enough to drown in, or plot problems sinking your story, or writer’s block pulling you under like cement overshoes? Fear not, there’s a whole raft of romance authors out there to boost you to the surface and float you along, giving you the strength to carry on. Critique groups, brainstorming groups, blog groups like RWA-WF or Voices from the Heart give a helping hand or a place to blow off steam.
Warmth
Is there anyone better in the whole wide world than your romance “peeps” for a dose of the warm fuzzies to celebrate your achievements? Cabana boys and chocolate, champagne and roses, hugs by the score are delivered in real space and cyber space when you break through with that first stupendous sale.
Safety, buoyancy, and warmth by the lakeful, the RWA is a wetsuit for writers.
Where does your wetsuit hang?
© Joan Leacott 2011, x-posted at RWA-WF
Hi Joan, what a lovely shiny new website. Clever you to do this yourself. I love the color scheme and the header image.
Helen
Hi Joan, I love the analogy and your picture is hot enough to keep your personal hero quite warm. LOL. As a CP I can particularly relate to the buoyancy!
I’ll save your blog link. How about ‘following’my blog.
http://www.monarisk.blogspot.com
I hang pieces of my wetsuit at Romance Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime. Great post.
Hey Carole, I’ve heard good things about the Sisters. Thanks for dropping by.