networking

The value of networking: How it can build your business

January 6, 2024 Post a comment

By Ruth E. Thaler-Carter, Networking Member, NAIWE Board of Experts

We hear about networking all the time, but what is it and why is it valuable to independent writers and editors? Networking is simply interacting with colleagues to exchange information, resources and support. Done right, it can create credibility, provide leads to new projects and clients, and bolster an independent editorial business. The key to remember is that networking is a two-way and proactive process; it goes beyond simply joining a professional organization.

The 2024 trifecta start of this new year — the week, month and year all began on the same Monday! — is a great opportunity to think about networking efforts and how to make them more effective.

Let’s start with the why.

Networking can build your independent writing or editing business by establishing you as someone with smarts, skills and experience. It can make you and your business visible to potential clients as someone worth hiring, or at least worth contacting about projects. It can get you noticed by colleagues who might refer or recommend you to their clients for projects they can’t or don’t handle, and who might hire you themselves as a subcontractor for their businesses.

Your goal is probably to use networking to become well-known enough to get more work from a given group or activity — but that means you have to be careful not to come across as needy or greedy.

Here’s the what.

If you go by the dictionary, networking is:

“the action or process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts.
“the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions; specifically the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business …
“… the process of trying to meet new people who might be useful to you in your business …”

At least one definition mentions the skills of bargaining and negotiation, although I see those as business skills that aren’t really factors in networking.

For all of that to happen, you have to do networking right. It’s vital to remember that networking is a two-way process. You can’t just take from colleagues or organizations; you have to give something back as well.

The how is probably the hardest aspect of networking for many of us in the writing and editing field. So many of us are, or are assumed to be, introverts who aren’t comfortable with promoting ourselves and our work, or with attending meetings in person; even on Zoom or other online platforms. Rule number one of networking might be: Get over it.

That is, face the fact that networking means interacting with colleagues and clients in person as well as online, and at levels online that might be a challenge for the shy and self-effacing.

The reality is that your business won’t grow very far or fast if you don’t do some networking.

You can prepare yourself to be better at the how. Start with doing things for the associations you join that don’t involve in-person interactions. Then move gradually into showing up at events, starting with local ones before advancing to regional and national ones. Rehearse a brief “elevator speech” to introduce yourself. If you’re really terrified of meeting people in person, ask a friend to help you role-play or go to a few events with you.

The other aspect of “how” is to build your network by contacting everyone you know to tell them about your writing or editing business, and asking them to keep you in mind for projects with them or with people whom they know. You might have to explain what you do to some of the people you know (especially family and friends ), and you might have to set boundaries with some of them in terms of how much time you have available to talk about your business, but you want to be sure that everyone you’ve ever known or worked for and with is aware that you have a writing or editing business.

Volunteer with organizations involved in causes you believe in — a shared passion can help you feel more at ease at events — through your skills; write for or edit/proofread their publications, websites or social media; present at their events, etc.

Look for ways to provide all those people with useful information. Just don’t push your business so much that you become annoying.

You can do this!

What not to do

Make your first post to an association you’ve joined a “Give me work, send me all your client contacts” — colleagues are usually glad to share advice and tips, but not the relationships we’ve cultivated with our clients, and few professionals are going to risk their own reputations by referring or recommending someone they don’t know.
On discussion lists that have rules about tags and subject lines, don’t post without those.
Don’t be rude or sarcastic in networking circles.
Don’t send private posts — even nice ones! — to group lists or forums, especially when responding to job opps.
Don’t over-promote yourself — it can be fine to post a “brag” moment (some groups and organizations have specific ways or times to do that), but keep those to a minimum and consider only posting such items when someone else has started the thread. There’s a difference between, say, announcing an upcoming speech/workshop or a recent success versus flooding a networking community with self-aggrandizing material.
Don’t post about your financial issues or whine about business problems — it’s one thing to ask about ways to manage your business more efficiently and effectively, but no one likes a whiner, and sharing too much info about financial struggles will make you look incompetent to both colleagues and clients.
Don’t spend so much time on networking that you don’t get any work done!

What to do

Again, networking isn’t all about you; it’s a two-way process, not all take and no give. I think of networking along the lines of a Billy Preston song, “Nothing from nothing” (“Nothin’ from nothin’ leaves nothin’,
You gotta have somethin’ if you wanna be with me”),

and the old saw “What goes around, comes around.” Granted, you try networking to get something out of it, but that won’t happen unless you put something into it. What to do can include:

Report on trends and suggest solutions to problems that colleagues might encounter, such as writer’s block, slow payers, scammers, low-paying job sites, authors who plagiarize, requests for writing or editing tests, etc.
Answer questions promptly.
Participate actively when you join an association, rather than be a “checkbook member” — write blog posts or newsletter articles, mentor newcomers, attend or host events and meetings, serve on committees and boards.
Follow group rules!
Be visible in as much social media as you can handle without losing control over your work and personal lives. It’s very easy to let social media activity take over our lives because there are so many channels to participate in and so much interesting stuff to read and respond to. Consider setting specific days or times to be active in social media so it doesn’t take over your work life or feel burdensome.
Most importantly, give (back) — offer advice, resources, helpful information.

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter, NAIWE’s Networking member of the Board of Experts, is known as the Queen of Networking. She is active in about a dozen professional associations, created and hosts Communication Central’s Be a Better Freelancer^® conference (with NAIWE), owns the An American Editor blog and A Flair for Writing publishing business, and is a respected member of several online groups for writers and editors.

Networking proves its value!

April 7, 2023 3 Comments

By Ruth E. Thaler-Carter, Networking Member, NAIWE Board of Experts

Ah, networking — an eternal topic for independent writers and editors.

I’ve been procrastinating about writing this column because it felt as if I had said everything about networking there was to say. Then two things happened: I received a new ongoing writing project through networking, and I started an entirely new venture that will require networking in new ways and new communities. Networking suddenly felt fresh!

The writing gig came from a Facebook group colleague and happened because I’ve been active and helpful in that group; the essence of networking. That networking connection was a handy shortcut for my colleague: It meant they knew enough about me to trust that I could do the work without having to request writing samples or go through other time-consuming common aspects of fitting freelancer to project. It’s proof that networking … works.

The new venture involves creating art (glass and clay), and planning to use networking to create visibility similar to my established presence in writing, editing and proofreading groups. That will mean identifying groups or organizations to join, finding the appropriate way to promote my work without being too blatantly “salesy,” and — most importantly — looking for ways to both learn about this new activity and share helpful tips and resources, because networking is a two-way street: It only works if you give as much as you take.

I’m reveling in the new opportunity to exercise my writing chops and the new kinds of projects I’ll be doing. One is the result of networking, while the other will require networking for it to succeed — the full spectrum. While I reflect on both, here are a few insights about networking in general that I hope colleagues will find useful.

A constant perspective

No matter what kind of publishing work you do, networking is key to its success. Of course, training and skill come first — but none of that matters if no one knows who you are and what you can do. Networking makes that happen.

Networking essentially means connecting with people you can learn with and from. New jobs/projects are often, even usually, a result of skilled networking, but self-gain shouldn’t be the goal. Becoming known for skills and colleagiality should be the goal.

The traditional process is to build your network by joining professional organizations like NAIWE or ones specific to an industry you write about or edit in. Nowadays, it includes joining relevant groups on LinkedIn, Facebook, etc., as well as keeping in touch with former employers and co-workers.

It takes more than just joining up, though, for networking to do its job. Being not just a member, but an active, visible, helpful member, of an organization or group is vital to networking success, especially in these increasingly digital and post- (we hope) Covid days. You can join every professional association and collegial online group there is, but if you don’t contribute, you’ve wasted most of that investment, whether it’s money spent to join or hours spent online every day. Networking is not passive.

Overcoming that reluctance

Most of us agree, or ruefully admit, that networking is important to our business efforts, but not everyone is a poster child for extroverts like I am, so not all of us enjoy doing it. Keep in mind that you can do a lot of effective networking these days without meeting people in person, whether your hesitation is based on being an introvert or continuing to be concerned about health. Platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook, as well as the discussion lists or forums of associations, make it possible to share insights, successes, advice and requests for help without ever leaving home.

As professional events come back to in-person life and online efforts continue to be important, it might help to think about some new angles for your networking activities. And it could help overcome any reluctance to think about how networking is likely to improve your reputation and expand your writing or editing business. You could even reward yourself for new efforts; chocolate always works for me.

Ask some questions

You might think that asking questions — whether about your craft or having an independent writing or editing business — makes you look foolish. On the contrary: Asking questions makes you look smart enough to seek professional, collegial advice rather than bumbling around and making business-damaging mistakes. It also creates the opportunity to share answers with colleagues, and maybe even incorporate their responses (with credit, of course) in any blog posts or articles you might write.

You could ask the one vital question that several colleagues have wanted to post, but been afraid to. Bringing it up and making it possible to share the answers makes you a valuable networking connection.

Provide some answers

Of course, you want to look for answers in obvious places (Google, LinkedIn and Facebook groups, etc.) before asking colleagues for help, but even that could be the basis of networking.

Once you have those answers, or figure something out on your own, apply them to your networking activities by sharing them as widely as possible. Consider writing a blog post or article about that process. Show colleagues how you solved a problem or answered a knotty question, so they can expand their knowledge and skillset. You’ll be a star!

Do some good

Networking can be a factor in providing community service and supporting causes you believe in: By volunteering or otherwise supporting a cause, you gain visibility with an organization’s board members, staff, and even clients or audiences.

If you write an article or edit a project for a nonprofit organization on a pro bono basis, ask that your contact info and a (brief) bio be included. If you donate goods to a nonprofit, write about why and what you hope will be the result of the donation. If you endow a scholarship, send a press release to appropriate outlets.

Whatever it involves, pro bono work makes us feel good while doing good, and can bring good karma (as well as practical results) to our lives and businesses. There’s nothing wrong with hoping for and receiving business success by doing good. It’s all part of both promoting your business and building your network of contacts that might hire you as a result — of either seeing what you do or sharing your commitment to that cause or organization.

Do it now!

Other than recognizing networking as a two-way process, accepting its value in enhancing your writing or editing business is key to success. If you’re an introvert, grit your teeth and get to it, even if only in one forum, organization or platform (the more you try, the more comfortable you should become with the process). If you’re an extrovert, keep your flag flying.

Either way, I wish you success in getting your name and business out to new audiences and clients.

Let us know how you approach networking and what has worked for you and your writing/editing business.

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter is known as the “Queen of Networking” for her many years of active membership in various writing- and editing-related professional associations and online groups, contributions to publications; and creating and hosting Communication Central’s “Be a Better Freelancer”® conference, now co-hosted with NAIWE. She can be reached at Ruth@writerruth.com.

Networking is back!

April 21, 2022 Post a comment

By Ruth E. Thaler-Carter, NAIWE Board of Experts Networking Member

The past few weeks have been so exciting for this super-extrovert because it looks like in-person networking is back, and I’m loving every opportunity connect, or re-connect, with colleagues in real life. I’ve been on a plane, at a sizable conference, in a restaurant, at a couple of local events … life is starting to feel almost normal again. (I’ve been vaccinated and boosted; have at-home COVID testing kits; and am still masking, especially in airports and on flights.)

Networking never really went away during the past two years or so of coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s been conducted remotely, and I’ve really missed getting together in person, both formally and informally. I’m very appreciative of the ways we’ve been able to stay connected through social media and online events, and I don’t see those virtual or remote interactions ending any time soon; I had three Zoom meetings just the week of publishing this post, and I love the way that technology can connect us with colleagues (and family and friends) all around the world. It’s just so much more energizing — at least to me — to meet in person again.

Networking over Zoom, e-mail or social media has its own conventions. We need to know about making our Zoom presence its most effective and professional, which means remembering to wear something appropriate for the event, placing lighting in front of our computers and faces, reducing noise and interruptions as much as possible, using the mute function out of courtesy to other participants (as well as to reduce that noise), and trying to read participants’ faces and voices to understand both intent and spoken words. It also means showing up as promised — so many online events have been free that a lot of people got into the habit of RSVPing and bagging the commitment at the last minute — and doing our best to contribute something positive and constructive to conversations rather than wasting time on irrelevancies.

Now that we’re going back to networking in person, I’ve noticed a few aspects that we might want to keep in mind for that next event, whether it’s an organization chapter session, large-scale conference or your own webinar/speech presentation.

Remember the process.

Networking is still a two-way process. Colleagues are usually more than willing to provide advice, resources and shoulders to lean on, but expect to see some response as well. For every time you use your network to get something, try to give something back.

Look your best!

We can get away with minimal “dress for success” efforts for Zoom and other virtual platforms, but for in-person events, it’s time to make the effort to look professional. That doesn’t have to mean a three-piece suit or stockings and high heels, but it also doesn’t mean T-shirts and jeans, at least for most of the events we’re likely to attend. I tend to prefer dressing up a bit to dressing down, so you won’t see me in anything super-informal or sloppy, but I’ve had to stop myself to put on earrings and a dash of lipstick before heading out the door.

It also doesn’t hurt to keep a few breath mints at your door, in your car, and in your pockets and briefcase or other bags. Now that we’re breathing on people again, we want those breaths to be fresh and enjoyable!

Take along a mask.

Most of the in-person events I’ve attended recently have not required that we wear masks, but I take them along anyhow, even though I’m fully vaccinated and boostered. Some venues still require them (at least some airports and planes leading the pack), and we don’t always know the people we’ll meet well enough to assume that they’ve taken those basic precautions over the past year or two.

Carry those cards.

Business cards remain important. Even when a lot of attendees seem to use their phones to record contact info of newly met colleagues, I still prefer to get and give business cards, and many people seem to agree — every meeting I’ve attended so far this year has included being asked for, and asking others for, business cards. I’d rather go home with all of my cards still in hand than be the person who says, “Oh, it’s been so long that I went to a real meeting that I forgot all about business cards.” I keep a stash of cards in every jacket pocket, briefcase and handbag, and in my car, so I don’t become that person.

I also use business cards with nametags, especially tags hanging from lanyards. You know how those hanging tags can flip over when you aren’t paying attention to them? I tuck a business card on the other side of the nametag so if it does flip over, people still see my name and affiliation rather than a blank surface. If I’m wearing something without pockets, I put a few cards in the nametag holder so I don’t have to fumble around when someone asks for one.

Your card is part of your marketing strategy. Don’t leave home without it!

Show up.

In-person events cost money, either for the venue or the refreshments, if not both. If you sign up for an event, show up unless there’s a really, really good reason not to. The host, whether an individual or an organization, is counting on you and probably wasting money on you if you’re a last-minute cancellation.

Speak up.

Getting together in person might mean refreshing your “elevator speech” skills. Take some time at home to practice introducing yourself.

Keep hands off.

Figure out a smooth escape from shaking hands or unsolicited hugs if you or the people around you are not yet comfortable with physical contact, and don’t be the one who tries to hug everyone else. Yes, it’s great to be back together in person, but even mild physical contact can still feel risky.

Business planning as networking activity

For me, an important part of networking is to take a few moments early in a new year to think about what did and didn’t work for my writing and editing business in the past one, and what I might do more or better in the new one. Doing so plays into my networking strategy (yes, I have a strategy!) because sharing those thoughts could help colleagues enhance their professional efforts for the year. That might mean you think of me when you need someone to help with or take on a project for some reason.

These are some of my resolutions for my editorial business in 2022; I hope they are useful to my NAIWE colleagues.

Remain or become more visible in at least one professional membership organization to enhance credibility and expand networking.
Update membership profiles, and look for new organizations to join and network in.
Review style guides and check for any updates, revisions, additions and other changes that might affect work for various clients — and share them with colleagues as part of my networking services.
Learn a new skill or service to offer to existing clients; something new about the topic area of a client; or an entirely new topic to write or speak about, edit, or proofread (or index, photograph, illustrate or otherwise work on) to expand my business.
Create or refresh my website to reflect recent projects, client testimonials, new skills or training, and whatever else will make me look good to past, current and prospective clients.
Draft a few potential posts to use for my own blog or as a guest on colleagues’ blogs; being a guest blogger is a great way to network, and having posts ready to go will make it more likely that I’ll actually get them out there.
Seek new clients on a regular basis, through cold queries, responding to membership association opportunities, social media resources, etc.
Make networking an active, constant part of every business day, or at least every week, by giving something back to colleagues or communities.
Update or change all passwords.
Establish or refresh a connection with a family member, friend or colleague to back up passwords and access to phone, e-mail, social media, banking and other important accounts — just in case.
Save toward retirement! And think about colleagues to hand off work to when I’m ready for that life moment.

Here’s wishing my NAIWE colleagues a successful approach to networking together as — we hope — the world starts to tilt back toward what we think of as normal.

How are you enhancing your networking efforts in this new year?

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter (www.writerruth.com) is the Networking member of the NAIWE Board of Experts and the owner of “I can write about anything!”^® as well as the “Be a Better Freelancer”^® conference (hosted by Communication Central and NAIWE), the An American Editor blog and the A Flair for Writing publishing business.

How networking can help a writing business get off to a good start

April 3, 2021 Post a comment

By Ruth E. Thaler-Carter, Networking member, NAIWE Board of Experts

A lot goes into launching a successful writing business, and networking can be one factor in that success. I’ll be talking about the practical aspects of such a venture in the NAIWE May webinar about launching a writing business (link to come). This post focuses on the networking aspect of your writing work.

Writers might not think of networking as an element of their new businesses, but that could mean losing out on valuable ways to learn about craft and business, and to develop connections that could not only improve those aspects of what they want to do, but also lead to a greater likelihood of getting published.

All writers probably share a common goal: for our words, thoughts and perspectives to find audiences and outlets. Individuals might be at different stages of creativity, visibility or success, but every writer wants — even needs — to be seen and heard. For the new writer, that first sale or outlet is so exciting, and networking is one way to get there.

Whether you’re writing a novel or a press release, a poem or a white paper, a play or a case study, a how-to book or a personal blog post, you want what you write to be seen and appreciated. Beyond being seen, we also want everyone who sees our writing to understand it, respond to it positively by publishing reviews or acting on it somehow, recommend it to others, and read or buy the next piece we write. Networking can help that happen.

Where networking comes into play is in providing resources for learning to write better by joining critique groups, taking classes or lining up beta readers; identifying reputable editors and proofreaders, and understanding and managing their input; finding appropriate agents and publishers for our work; getting paid; and related details of a writing business or the writing life.

Through networking, you can meet colleagues who will provide advice, insights and resources, and who might become beta readers or refer you to writing projects and clients. You could be seen by and connect with potential agents to represent your work or publishers who might consider bringing you into their houses, saving you the effort of searching for the ideal agent and outlet. If you plan to self-publish work that needs illustrations, networking can help you find the artist you need.

It’s important to remember, by the way, that networking is a two-way process. In fact, that might be the most important aspect of networking. A writer needs to create a net of contacts and colleagues who can help them do their work better and enhance their likelihood of publication. One of the best ways to do that is to be a useful strand in the nets of colleagues. If you ask questions and get helpful answers, look for ways to provide answers to other people’s questions.

And don’t let being new to writing or networking make you feel that you can’t contribute to the networking process. You can! If you don’t have any answers yet, look for resources you can share — books, courses, blogs, organizations, etc., that you have found useful or have seen in your real-world and online visiting. Keep in mind that we all had to start somewhere, first by actually writing something, next by getting it published, and then by becoming visible and active in some corner of the writing world. Even extroverts like me had to learn the ropes of networking effectively; it isn’t just a matter of paying dues and showing up or using the resources of an association to enhance our own writing work.

In the continuing pandemic era, we can’t do much networking in person, so the introverts among us don’t have to worry as much about fitting in at events as in the past (and, we hope, the future). Nowadays, you can use the virtual world to your networking advantage by “lurking” in online communities and professional associations for a while, to take the temperature of the environment and decide whether it will be helpful before you spend money on a membership or speak up with your questions and suggestions. Oh, and anything you do invest in joining an organization is a tax deduction!

Learn and profit from networking, and try to give as much as you take. Your writing business and efforts will blossom as a result, along with your reputation.

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter is a widely published freelance writer/editor and the creator of Communication Central’s Be a Better Freelancer® conference, now co-hosted by NAIWE and the An American Editor blog. Through her active participation in a variety of professional associations, she is often called the Queen of Networking.

A great start to the new year

January 7, 2019 2 Comments

It’s an honor and a pleasure to start the new year as a member of NAIWE‘s Board of Experts, especially with Networking as my area of NAIWE expertise. As many of you know, I’m a long-time, even passionate believer in networking, as evidenced by the many professional associations and online communities of colleagues that I belong to, along with the Communication Central “Be a Better Freelancer”® conference that I host every year. Even more important to the concept of networking is that I’m far more than what I call a “checkbook member” – I don’t just pay dues and wait for the membership to do something for me; I’m active and visible in every group I belong to (yes, it’s OK to end a sentence with a preposition).

For organizations such as the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA), Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), ACES-The Society for Editing, Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists (GSLABJ), International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), Association of Independent Information Professionals, Association for Women in Communications (AWC) and NAIWE, I do everything from write for and edit newsletters to present webinars, workshops and conference speeches; write booklets; contribute to online conversations; manage and update websites; organize events, etc. That may seem like a lot of work, but I enjoy it (I’m the poster child for extroverts) and it means that I’m constantly learning from, not just sharing knowledge with, colleagues at all levels of professionalism. Even better from a professional success standpoint, it means I become visible and known within these groups, which often leads to being hired or referred for projects. I even make a few bucks from some of these activities in and of themselves.

In addition to the professional advantages of networking, I’ve also made great friends through many of these organizations and found resources that have made my work life easier, more diverse and more interesting.

My point is that networking is a two-way process. You don’t get much, if anything, out of joining an organization or group and waiting for it to do something for you. When you engage in genuine networking, the group benefits you in a number of ways, many of which can be quantified in terms of income and renown. Do keep that in mind as NAIWE makes it possible to do more for ourselves and each other in this new year.

Here’s to a successful, profitable, enjoyable year of writing, editing and networking for all NAIWE members. To coin a version of a popular phrase, may we live well and prosper!

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