Cina Pelayo

There are multiple reasons for joining a writers organization. Some writers join for access to writing resources, while others join for networking opportunities. There are even those who might join an organization out of curiosity, to see what exactly that group can offer them and their career. Or maybe they're just after a little social interaction. You see, writing as a profession requires long stretches of isolation.

Original image via Cottonbro Studio A couple months ago I decided to step away from social media. I wanted to experiment with not living so online. I failed gloriously. But the experiment wasn't a total loss. During that time I processed many major life changes that challenged my mental, spiritual, and physical limits; the death of my dog of twenty years, the death of my father whom I was very close with, and well, sleeping three to four hours a night to keep up with multiple book deadlines.

Photo via author's website Tim Waggoner follows up his 2020 Bram Stoker Award winning Writing in the Dark with Writing in the Dark: The Workbook. I read Writing in the Dark when it was first released, and I remembered thinking what a valuable guide it was for new writers in the horror genre, as well as those seeking a refresher. Therefore, I was very glad to see Waggoner create a companion to further expand on his ideas. In the introduction, Bram Stoker Award winning author Michael A.