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I write sf and fantasy, so this is an interesting issue for me.

Over the past ten years, for instance, I've seen the Internet change how writing business works. Years ago, I can recall carefully and painstakingly fixing up envelope after envelope of manuscripts to send to place after place - now, most of the same places are accepting manuscripts as well in or solely by email. The phrase "no attachments whatsoever" has become ingrained into my cerebrum. I can look these things up now with the click of a mouse, as opposed to poring over the yearly digest at the library.

And then there was the writer forum. I've belonged to one for about three years, maybe longer. I can talk to other writers there, schmooze about the latest gossip, catch up on the news in the business, get tips on publishers and editors, and tips on writing. No, honest, I do some.

Herein lies the problem, of course. While I'm learning and hearing about everything under the sun regarding writing, "networking" they call it and that now has a slightly different meaning, I'm not actually WRITING.

Even worse, magazines have themselves started forums of their own. You can do the same that these as at the generic writers' forum I know and love, and you can also NOT WRITE.

There's a happy medium out there somewhere. I've taken to timing myself when I go on...

You thought I was kidding?

Learn more about this author, Jess Howe.
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