As writers, you and I have many people in some way responsible for our successes or failures as writers. Be aware of professional relationships that improve your writing and opportunities. Successful writers build their work on skills, hard work, study, and help from others.

Choose editors, copy editors, and other networking relationships whose abilities and core values agree with yours. In the case of Internet networks, make sure that sites you team up with share the standards and beliefs essential to you and your writing. You want quality people and quality input/output.

Know what effective writing networks/teams and relationships look like.

Effective teams are made up of people that behave in professional ways to provide (1) skills and technical help, advice, and support and (2) emotional support, general encouragement, specific advice in matters relating to professional decisions. Teams can also be called “contacts” or “networks.”

If you have family, friends, and associates that encourage you as a writer, you are blessed. I am blessed to have those. In addition, a friend volunteered years ago to help my publishing and newsletter writing and editing. She has become an unexpected professional blessing in my writing and publishing careers.

Some team skills may come to your awareness like Carri, who volunteered to help me. Others require research or recommendations. Think through the kinds of skills and people your successful writing goals need. Think through project-specific needs. Keep in mind your need to build successful professional relationships along with a successful writing career.

Know the scope of skills you need to help you grow into a more successful writer.

Writing skills include people like the following:

- Mentors and/or writers’ groups
- Editors and/or publishers
- Peer reviewers - experts from various professions and writing genres
- Internet-accessible organizations/advisors/communities
- Conference/workshop leaders
- Sales/marketing specialists
- Librarians/researchers

Let others use you on their teams. Other writing and publishing professionals you network with may not always measure up. Communication problems may arise. Let those experiences teach you and retain your professionalism. No expert or writer gets it right all the time.

However, realizing we have teams and serve on others’ teams helps us make the most of it for successful writing.

You can be a successful writer. Continue to work at it, to study and develop good professional relationships. Now or later, you will realize you have much to share with other writers.

Let others put you on their teams!

Jane Bullard is the author of a true story, Not All Roads Lead Home: A story of renewed love. Jane wrote the foreword for The Mourner’s Comforter by C. H. Spurgeon. For her pen name, Jane borrowed one of her grandmothers’ family names. You can learn more about Jane’s book at OpineBooks.com and read her articles on SearchWarp.com and some of her short essays at Opinari.com, a unique blog.