Countdown to Launch! - Part 5a - An Inside919 Top Five

[Christina Thompson]

Greetings! Welcome to Part 5a in my series of blog posts counting down from rough ideas to published book. Today and tomorrow, we talk 919ers. One of the chief needs creative beings have is support, especially when we're in the midst of an extended project like writing a book. I'm happy to say that, throughout my writing process, I received a tremendous amount of support from this network. Inside919 has truly grown into a Chamber of Relationships, and the sense of community here has given my book the encouragement and energy it needed to flourish!

With that, here are the top 5 ways that Inside919 is a community of support:

Nobody has tried to sell me anything. It would have been easy to look at me and say, "Oh, you're a first-time author...you reeeeally need my editing/typesetting/whatever services." This didn't happen even once. The 919ers I know describe their services, but they don't shove them down your throat.

People have been generous with their time and expertise. More than a few InSiders have been willing to hang out over coffee and share exciting ideas and cool plans. In most of these interactions, I learned something new. And from all of them I came away inspired!

The forums and groups have great content. I've learned some valuable info just by browsing group discussions. Many of the blogs are very informative and thought-provoking as well, and people's comments often add to the value of each post.

InSiders are creative! Over the past few months, I've heard 919 friends hatching ideas about everything from small dinner groups to using innovation to recession-proof our economy. Many people here also think outside the box when it comes to marketing and doing business. It's common for me to reply to an InSider, "Wow, I've never thought of that before!"

Inside919 isn't strictly business. Sometimes when taking a break from writing, it's been a treat to come here and look at photos of people's pets, see what events are coming up, and read haikus! :) Our network is refreshingly well-rounded.

Next time, the Inside919 Hall of Fame, a list of InSiders who pushed this countdown forward with their encouragement and support! Stay tuned!

[Christina Thompson]

I agree, Dave! This actually happened to me last night--someone turned to me and exclaimed, "I know who you are!!" We ended up having a great conversation, and it was all because I left her a comment a few months ago.

Thanks for adding your experience :)!

[Dave Baldwin]

Here, here! Thanks for chiming in on this, Christina - I would add one more thing to the mix. I've gotten to meet people that otherwise I probably wouldn't have come across - and thanks to the online/offline combination, I've had the opportunity to meet folks at social events already knowing who they were, even though I hadn't met them before. Also, I've had people walk up to me already knowing who I was, thanks to this community.

Looking forward to the launch of your book! Be sure to let me know so I can tweet it etc.