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Network Like It's Your Eighth Birthday Party
By Kirsty Logan
We all know that networking is vital to furthering your writing
career: making contacts, giving a good impression, getting your
business card into the right hands. We also know that networking can
be scary – how can we come across as confident but not conceited,
ambitious but not cut-throat? Well, I'll tell you! When I was a little
girl my mother had very particular rules for birthday parties, and
these exact same rules can be applied to networking as a writer. By
remembering what your mother taught you, you'll be working that room
in no time.
1. Don't just talk to your friends
It's easy to lurk in the corner and chat to your friends, but you
could have stayed at home to do that. Get across the room and
introduce yourself to someone! An excellent conversation opener is
'What are you working on?' Not everyone wants to be defined by their
day job, but everyone likes to talk about their plans and passions.
Don't monopolise anyone's time – just introduce yourself, listen
carefully to what they have to say, give them your card if it's
appropriate, and say it was great to meet them. Don't forget to smile!
2. Don't just talk to the popular kids
If you head straight for the biggest bigwig in the room and ignore
everyone else, you'll seem cynical and self-serving. Take time to chat
to everyone, and show them the same amount of attention and interest.
In a business sense, you never know who can help you in your career;
in a personal sense, everyone has interesting things to say and you
might make a new friend!
This holds true for online networking too. If you get a nice email
from a name you don't recognise, don't ever write them off as a
'nobody'. Give them your time and your personality, just as you would
if they were a hot-shot agent or editor.
3. Don't be mean
So you think someone in the room is boring, silly, self-absorbed or a
bad writer. Keep it to yourself! If you must, wait until you get home
and vent to your partner or friends – but best of all, just work
through those negative feelings until they're gone. Don't ever be
bitchy about other people on the writing scene in public – you'll
develop a reputation and people won't want to work with you. Stay
polite and friendly in public at all times.
4. Send thank-you cards
You've made an effort to remember everyone's names, right? Now get
online and look them up. Google, Facebook, Twitter: they'll be out
there somewhere. Say hello, remind them who you are, mention something
about their interests, and say it was nice to meet them. Don't forget
a link to your website in your signature so they can read about your
achievements.
By just being friendly, polite and professional I have landed myself a
reading at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, many invitations
to submit to anthologies and magazines, and even a paid internship. So
pretend it's your eighth birthday party, and get networking!
###
Kirsty Logan writes, edits, teaches, and reviews books in Glasgow,
Scotland. Her short fiction appears in numerous literary magazines and
anthologies, and is due to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4. She is
currently working on her first novel, Little Dead Boys, thanks to a
grant from the Scottish Book Trust. Get in touch at
www.kirstylogan.com .
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