There is No “I” in “We”

 
The song Lean On Me should have taught us that we all need friends every now and then. Yet, I still see authors struggling to navigate the (oftentimes) brutal writing road in isolation. The magnificent Dodo Bird didn’t fly solo, so what makes us think we can?

(E.J.’s note: Okay, in context the Dodo might have been a poor example since they’re all dead. And, after further research, I’m pretty sure they didn’t fly.)

  Oxford Dodo display" by BazzaDaRambler - Oxford University Museum of Natural History ... dodo - dead apparently. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The point is, there’s zero excuse to do this writing thing alone. I helped start New Adult Lit Chat on Twitter over two years ago. During that time, I’ve often wondered why I keep doing it. Don’t get me wrong, I have a lot of fun hanging out with other writers and talking about my favorite category of literature. But it takes a lot of my time, time I could spend writing or promoting my writing.

The answer always comes back to belonging. Being a part of a community, focusing on the needs and concerns of the whole instead of the individual, makes me feel good about myself. Moreover, it takes the pressure off of my own authorly aspirations. I realize I’m just one small piece of this crazy puzzle. I understand that so many other folks are taking the same timid steps I am, or have already been there and can tell me where to stand.

I’ve made some of my best friends via the chats, and am constantly inspired by the creativity and determination of the writers who hang out there. And that’s just one of many communities I’m involved in. There are Facebook groups for writers, G+ communities, private Google groups, forums like Absolute Write, and so much more. I get something unique from all of them.

There’s also a great sense of ownership and pride that comes from contributing to a community. That’s specifically why we’re reshaping NA Alley. New Adult lit belongs to all of us, and is for all of us. It’s such an awesome category to write and read in because of the huge amount of diversity it has to offer. Literally anything can happen!

We want to embrace that and would like you to embrace it with us. In the coming months we’re going to roll out a new NA Alley, one featuring the voices of numerous talented authors, enthusiastic readers, and dedicated fans. The new Alley will be a platform for all of the sexy, funny, sweet, scary, adventurous, and epic storytelling New Adult is rapidly becoming known for.

We’ll be more interactive, and try to give you opportunities to really get to know some of the biggest names in New Adult, while also introducing you to some of its bright new stars. Most importantly, we’ll all share the stage in one fantastic play. Hope to see you there!