I cannot say enough about the importance of local writers groups. I belong to both Sisters in Crime and the St. Louis Writers Guild, and both are invaluable. But I've learned more about the business of writing from Missouri Romance Writers of America than I have learned anywhere else--everywhere else combined. 

I don't write genre romance, though I love to read it, and I admire the craft. I try to work strong romance subplots into all my novels. But the romance writers let me hang out with them anyway. And my local group has a ton of incredible authors who are also very savvy business people.

A few weeks ago, MORWA and the St. Louis Public Library co-hosted a free mini-conference (Fiction Writing Workshop) at the gorgeous SLPL Central Branch downtown. The weather was dark and stormy, very autumnal, while the atmospheric interior of the library was warmly haunted by romance and crime writers. Sisters in Crime hosted a cozy mystery panel. I also attended seminars by Jeannie Lin ("Write Page-Turning Fiction with Action and Love Scenes") and Shawntelle Madison ("Unlocking Emotion to Strengthen Story" and "Romancing the Beat with LaVyrle Spencer"). And that's just a fraction of the sessions that were available.

Seriously, if you write, want to write, or struggle with writing, look into local writing groups!