Get inspiration from others locally.

How to meet other writers in your area.

I’m very lucky to live in the beautiful small Southern town of Charlottesville, Virginia, where Rita Dove, John Grisham, and Rita Mae Brown walk around town.

William Faulkner served as writer-in-residence at Charlottesville’s University of Virginia from 1957 until his death. In addition, Edgar Allen Poe was a student at the University of Virginia, which was founded by Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence.

Inspiration is everywhere here in central Virginia from the Charlottesville Festival of the Book (where national authors come to promote their books; in 2009, Rita Dove did a reading with another local, Boyd Tinsley from The Dave Matthews Band ) to Thomas Jefferson’s University of Virginia (with its nationally known MFA program) to the local writers reading their poetry at poetry slams and during open mic events. It’s easy to find people with whom to write and read your work.

Some of you may not be so lucky. I’ve lived in many places where the creative world seems stagnant. Blue-collar workers struggle just to get by, there’s no time or energy left for creativity.

Here are a few ideas for meeting other creative people like you.

· Put an ad on the community page on Craigslist. Just be safe and smart about it. Meet with others in a public place.
· If you live in or near a college town (and most of the U.S. is pretty close to even a small school), try advertising on the school’s bulletin boards, especially in the English or Drama departments.
· Try networking. You’d be surprised how many people at least know a writer with whom they can connect you. Talk to co-workers, friends, and neighbors.
· Create a blog like I did.
· Post ads at the local library and check their Web site for groups you can join. Sometimes you can find writers in book groups.
· Google your town and the surrounding areas to find writers and groups.