Women Writing the West has been around for 31 years, but I became a member just five years ago. The COVID lockdown gave me the impetus to finish my first book manuscript. I attended a Women in Publishing webinar and an agent said we should join writers’ organizations in our genre. Mine is history.
I found a history-related organization and they collected my dues—and I never heard a peep from them until they wanted me to renew! Well, no thank you.
I’m not sure how I found Women Writing the West, but I could tell immediately from the website that THIS was an organization of active writers who were doing things and going places. Yes! Sign me up. That first year I attended Laura Drake’s “Perfectly Painless Pitching” class online and met other members for the first time.
The conference that year (2021) was also held virtually. Barb Froman, then-president, greeted us all from Portland, Oregon. Many sessions and award events later, I was so glad I had been a part of it all. Best of all—I got an invitation from the TwoDot editor to submit my book proposal!
I wasn’t even pitching at the conference, so how did that happen? I volunteered. A call went out for people to be Zoom hosts and I put my name in. We did a couple trainings and I was assigned to one of the conference sessions. My co-host was the editor and we chatted before the session started. Four months later, I had a book contract.
In the meantime, Barb Froman, who was running the 2022 WILLA award, asked if I would volunteer to coordinate the Historical Fiction category. There were 26 entries that year. I recruited readers and away we went. Another great volunteering experience.
The first in-person conference I attended was at Oklahoma City in 2022. A group of Colorado members was getting together beforehand to socialize, but they met in Denver—far from my Durango home. Another group was meeting in much-closer Albuquerque. Pam Nowak graciously hosted, and included me. I was glad to have the opportunity to meet a smaller group before the big conference.
WWW also organized critique groups that year, and I joined with a group of nonfiction writers. The group (six of us now) is still going strong, and this has been one of the best things about being a part of WWW. They gave me feedback on what became my second book for TwoDot.
Feedback. Friends. Fellowship. Fun.
WWW has always been an organization run by members for members. We help one another and celebrate each others’ successes. We offer our expertise and the lessons we’ve learned along the way.
Considering how much this organization has done for me, I don’t hesitate to find ways to give back. This year I joined the board as Treasurer. Recently I took responsibility for running this blog site. There are many other opportunities to get involved. It is a rewarding experience.
Won’t you share your WWW story with us? We’d love to have you contribute to the blog. Visit our Blog Submission Guidelines page to learn more.
Eilene Lyon is the author of Fortune’s Frenzy: A California Gold Rush Odyssey, winner of the Will Rogers Bronze Medallion, and What Lies Beneath Colorado: Pioneer Cemeteries and Graveyards. She skis, hikes, and writes in Durango, Colorado. EileneLyon.com and Myricopia.com (blog).
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