The Power of the Pod

In March of this year, I attended a weeklong virtual Women in Publishing Summit. I found it through Instagram and thought, “Why not?” It was the first step towards following my goal of becoming a published author. Upon further research, I read many positive reviews about this program and learned that it has always been a virtual event, so I knew this would be a worthwhile experience. As I watched the Orientation Session, my questions were confirmed. I had chosen wisely. This summit was so comprehensive, organized and chock full of information and through the process, I learned a great deal and met so many wonderful women!

As we approached the end of the week, I began looking into other online workshops and webinars I could attend because I was so inspired and motivated and wanted to continue meeting new people and making connections. After much thought and research, I decided to take the next step on my publishing journey and enroll in the Women in Publishing School that had been advertised and discussed during the summit. The WIP School is a four-month session designed to help every author turn their dream of becoming a published author into a reality.

This program has been one of the best experiences of my life. I have been introduced to so many talented writers and as a book lover, I have had the privilege of becoming a Beta Reader and an ARC (Advanced Review Copy) Reader for some of these amazing women and in turn, they have agreed to return the favor once my book is ready for feedback and reviews.

Of the many wonderful things offered in the WIP School, I am most grateful for the Author Pod. During the first month, we were divided into small groups based on our genre and the purpose of the pod was to allow us to meet on our own to inspire, encourage and learn from one another. I am in a group with five other women and from the moment we met at our first zoom meeting, we had an instant connection.

I look forward to our meeting each week because we have created a safe space to ask each other questions and opinions about our process knowing we will be given a thoughtful, positive and supportive response. We also laugh a lot and genuinely enjoy each other’s company.

We are currently in the fourth and final month of the WIP School and even though this chapter is ending, the Pod will continue. We have a story to tell and wisdom to share. We are Kathryn, Leslie, Lisa, Marilynn, Toby and Wendy. We are strong, we are wise and as women, we will rise!

Thank you to Alexa and her team for bringing us together!!