The life of a writer is a solitary one – as shown by the fascinating series on here written by Ian Philips.  We have our own particular garrets  - noisy, quiet, at tables or desks, or scrunched up under the stairs or perched on the end of the bed.

All this leads on to a chicken and egg type question.  Are you a writer because you are naturally a loner – or are you becoming a loner because of your writing?  And is it healthy?

The good news - or maybe the not so good news – is that there are more ways than ever to connect with your fellow writers.  You can join a local writing group for face-to-face contact and support, join groups online, comment on others’ work (such as on here) and go to workshops, seminars and conferences.

So because you can – should you?  Sometimes yes – sometimes no.  It’s important to meet others in the writing tribe because you can bounce ideas of each other, share the same traumas, and generally feel like you’re not alone.  And it stops what sometimes happens to me – where your vocal chords seize up, and you realise you’ve been in your pyjamas for three straight days…

In all my years of meeting authors, going to events, and joining up online to communities – I’ve never seen an idea stolen  - so don’t let that stop you from joining in.

And why not?  Well I can get to the end of a day and it dawns on me that I’ve spent all of it online, chatting to others on twitter (@BookAnalyst if you want to join me there!), looking at blogs, commenting on ideas, and got nothing done.

As with all, moderation is key.  But on a social note – who’s coming to the Conference on Saturday 18th February?  I’m looking forward to meeting some of you there!  And don’t forget the forthcoming Masterclass on Submission – a chance to really hone your submission skills and get some one-to-one attention on your writing project.

Let me know – how do you strike the balance between Cave and Rave?  It’s another important talent to learn as when you’re a famous author, you’ll have to juggle your public and your muse.