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Arts & Entertainment

'She Writes' Grows Into Largest Online Resource For Women Writers

Web site celebrates its one-year anniversary with parties around the world.

The tag line for the Web site She Writes is "A Room of Her Own Just Got Bigger." And indeed, if Virginia Woolf were to see this site, she would approve. The creation of SheWrites.com in June 2009 represented the creative efforts of Kamy Wicoff and Deborah Siegel, two experienced writers determined to fill in the gaps left in the changing publishing industry.

While Woolf's early 20th century women writers needed the privacy and the means to write, women in our 21st century writing and publishing environment face, according to Siegel, "a collapsing publishing industry that has forced authors to become authorpreneurs." Siegel and Wicoff saw a real opportunity for the creation of a network of women writers who could share expertise, offer resources and, finally, connect across the inevitable silences of the writing life. 

A brief scan of the Web site highlights just how far reaching its initiatives and resources are. Writers at the start of their career may benefit from the offerings of the "Emerging Author Services." In addition to writing coaching and editing, these offerings include Agent Consultation, Pitch and Proposal Advisement, and Web Site design, to name a few. For established, professional writers, She Writes offers similar services geared to a more experienced writer. Beyond these very vital services, She Writes participants can form and join interest groups, communicate with each other via the Ning Web site platform, and attend events. 

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She Writes just turned one in June, and communities of writers all around the United States and even abroad celebrated She Writes' one-year anniversary with parties of all styles and sizes. Groups from as far away as Texas and London celebrated. Initiating and developing a community for women writers in towns as different as Nashville and New York City,  She Writes fills a void and then some. Just what is She Writes and how did it reach so many women writers in such a short time?

In a writer-satiated town like Montclair, Ning-hosted She Writes introduction was an immediate hit. Local Cedar Grove writer and blogger Lisa Romeo sums up her experience with the site. "In the time I've spent [on the site], I have found new writing friends, generated interest in my online classes, and editorial consulting services, learned about interesting new books and authors, gotten a heads-up on ongoing projects which I've contributed to, and picked up great tips and new ideas." Romeo goes on to say: "My only regret about She Writes is that I don't have enough time to fully explore all of the resources the site and its members offers." 

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As an indication of its success, the site has reached record numbers of members as of this one-year benchmark. Says Siegel: "Currently, almost 10,000 women writers in all 50 states and more than 30 countries are turning to She Writes as both a home and a resource to support their writing efforts." In its one year, She Writes has become, the "largest community and resource for women writers online." 

And, the site is still growing. She Writes has added Daphne Kis, an experienced strategic business advisor, to its team in order to, says an enthusiastic Siegel, "take our vision and turn it into a profitable business with the potential to change the future of publishing, and to support She Writes' mission-driven aim: to change the world by empowering women and girls to raise their voices, tell their stories, and be heard."

Not bad for a first birthday!

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