When I first discovered Writelink more than six years ago, little did I realise that I would become a competition judge or find a publisher for my first poetry collection Into the Yell (Circaidy Gregory Press). But that is exactly what happened – and all thanks to the Writelink site.

Having won Writelink pro membership (as it was called at the time) through the annual Spring Fever contest in 2004, I initially used the site as an information source – gaining inspiration from submission themes, marketing and competition details. I soon had two pieces chosen for the paid poem of the month slot and started to use the arena for getting and giving feedback. (I found the latter as useful for my own writing skills as the former). I also started chatting to other writers on the forums. After my success in Writelink contests, it was suggested that I apply to be a judge myself. I did – and was accepted, judging my first contest in 2008.

When I joined Writelink, it was to be part of a writers’ community, not to network. But at some point, I also met (in the virtual sense!) my now publisher, Kay Green. Kay runs her own smaller writers’ website at http://www.earlyworkspress.co.uk , a book review site ‘booksy’ at http://www.booksy.co.uk and two small presses. While Earlyworks Press publishes club members’ work and winning entries to its open competitions, Circaidy Gregory Press (www.circaidygregory.co.uk) publishes select writers (by invitation only) in a range of genres – from novels and novellas to poetry and plays.

Having discovered Earlyworks through Writelink, I entered one of its poetry contests and came second. I joined the website and thought little more about it. Meanwhile, Writelink had added members’ blogs to its site. I started blogging, as did Kay, and we subscribed to each other’s blogs. When I started to try to put together a poetry collection and blogged about the process, Kay asked if I wanted to try submitting it to her at Circaidy Gregory Press. I did and was accepted, with Into the Yell launched this July.

My publisher, Kay Green, said: “Writelink was the first online writers' club I had any experience of. I had a great time over there and benefited in all sorts of ways, not least of which was meeting Sarah. Into the Yell is going to be a great book and it would never have happened without Writelink!”

I am not the only one to build confidence, contacts and opportunities through the writelink site.

Maureen Vincent Northam and Lorraine Mace met on Writelink in 2003 and went on to co-write The Writer's ABC Checklist, published by Accent Press (£9.99, www.accentpress.co.uk).

Maureen said: “We were active members of the site forums and became friends because we share the same sense of humour; we also started to read and proof the other's work. It was Lorraine's idea to write something together and so a book on all the questions that crop up from new writers seemed the obvious choice.”

Lorraine said:  “I also now have a humour column in Writing Magazine, but my very first humour pieces about writing and being a writer were published on Writelink.”

Popular blogger, novelist and non-fiction writer, David Robinson http://www.facebook.com/l/fda67 http://www.timehopper.blogspot.com joined Writelink in 2004/5 after his two published novels had sunk without trace when the publisher went bust.

He said: “My next novel The Haunting of Melmerby Manor (Virtual Tales, 2008), started life as a single chapter on the Writelink Arena. I took the feedback, worked on it, and three years later, it was in print. I’ve made many friends on the site, and I’ve learned a lot.  I’ve also expanded my horizons.”

Marit Meredith (mater on Writelink) said: “In the early days I posted up work for fellow writers to critique and their help was invaluable (and I hope that a few of mine were helpful in return). Blogging the early chapters of novels, and getting comments, helped me move forward with the stories, and spurred me on to self-publish a collection of short stories, as well as a couple of anthologies for charities.”

Paola Fornari (chausiku on Writelink) said: “It was through writelink that I learnt about Writing Magazine and Writers' News, and it was through those magazines that I learnt about and joined the 'Writers Abroad' group – and through Writers Abroad I entered the Fylde Brighter Writers competition and have both a poem and a short story shortlisted there!”

Top Tips I Learned On The Way

* Review – Doing your fair share of arena reviewing means people are more likely to give you feedback on your work. It is also a good tool for learning to edit your own work, as it’s usually easier to spot faults and mistakes in someone else’s writing. Remember to be honest, but do so nicely!

* Be yourself – When you’re chatting with people about something you love – in my case, poetry – enthusiasm will shine through, genuinely. If it doesn’t lead to any work or other opportunities, then at least you will have made some good friends.

* It’s never too early – to start thinking about putting together a poetry collection. I had been writing poetry for five or six years before I seriously started to think about collecting my work together. Some poems had been published or placed in competitions but my poetry improved more over the one year spent putting Into the Yell together (with help from my Circaidy Gregory Press editor Marilyn Francis) than in the whole of the preceding five years. Seeing your work as a whole, rather than just a selection of individual poems, highlights unnecessary repetition in themes and language, which you might otherwise be unaware of. The theme/structure of planning a collection can also provide inspiration in itself for new poems.

* Have fun!

About Sarah James

Sarah James is an award-winning poet, short story writer and journalist. She was shortlisted in Templar Poetry 2009 Pamphlet and Collection Competition and had two poems shortlisted in The Plough Prize 2009. Her first full-length collection Into the Yell is published by Circaidy Gregory Press, July 2010 and her website is at http://www.sarah-james.co.uk

Sarah James, poet and short story writer: website at http://sarah-james.co.uk  

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