Social networking. The bane of a writer’s existence. Right? We just want to right. Why join even one let two or three—or one more? Because that’s how we build platform and get notice by potential readers and possibly by agents, acquisitions editors and publishers.
Today I offer you an interview with agent and author Jeff Herman, founder of, yes, another social network, but his one is made just for you. It’s called www.waenetwork.com, which stands for Writers, Agents and Editors Network. It’s the place for, well, writers, agents and editors go to gather online. Want to find out why you should join? Read what Jeff has to say about WAE.
Why did you create WAE?
I wanted to create a way for writers, agents and editors to get to know about each other and share information in place that’s established just for them. So far it’s mostly the writers who are participating, but I think that will shift as the site continues to grow.
Why would writers benefit from joining your website?
The site is actually controlled by writers. They are free to establish and participate in the hundreds of discussions, research and connect with hundreds of agents and editors, or simply connect with each other one-to-one.
Why is this social network different from other social networks?
The site is writer-publishing specific, and every writer is free to establish their own identity and learn from others without any other interference.
Why would they want to blog on your network?
Writers are free to post their own blogs where they will be read by other writers and publishing professionals. Useful critiques and valuable connections might follow.
What tools does the network provide to help aspiring authors become published authors?
Sister site, www.bpwiz.biz, will help writers generate proposals, synopses and query letters. www.waenetwork.com provides expansive information about agents and editors with submission guidelines. Finally, connecting with thousands of other writers will provide an excellent education drawn from thousands of similar experiences.
Writers are reticent to join any social media sites, if you could give them just one reason to join yours on top of all the others they are joining to build platform, what would it be?
To learn from others who are digging the same trenches and walking the same paths, and to inspire each other.
About Jeff Herman
Jeff Herman founded The Jeff Herman Agency in the 1980’s while in his 20’s. He has agented many hundreds of titles and is the author of Jeff Herman’s Guide To Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents, which is in its 22nd edition and has sold more than 500,000 copies. With his business partner and wife Deborah Levine-Herman, he’s coauthor of Write The Perfect Book Proposal: 10 Proposals That Sold & Why.
Prior to starting his agency, Herman spent several years in corporate marketing and public relations. He’s a graduate of Syracuse University, where he captained the award winning debate team.
Nina and Jeff, thank you for this informative interview about the WAE Network and its companion site, Book Publishing Wizard. Although I have not yet had a need to investigate BP Wiz, I have found the WAE Network to be very user friendly. There are groups such as Poetry, Playwriting, True Crime and more. I post a nightly description of my diary entry and my blog’s URL on an ongoing main page. It posts automatically as a tweet on Twitter. There is a WAE Facebook page. Part of the fun is answering questions asked by the organizers and others.
Barbara,
Thanks so much for adding a comment that lets others know about your experience of WAE. I’ve been a member since the beginning but only posted a few blog posts. I do, however, think it’s a superb site and opportunity for writers.