I joined Women Who Write at the suggestion of fellow member Joanne Flynn Black, who I met at a nonfiction book proposal writing course in New York City nearly fifteen years ago. It was at that class that the two of us bonded over competitive title analysis, chapter outlines and marketing plans, and where Joanne became my first writer friend. One night, during our late commute home on the train, Joanne suggested that I check out a local organization for women writers called Women Who Write. Looking back, I think she recommended it because she knew something I didn't: that although writing is a solitary process, it requires a community to read your work if you want to grow as a writer. She knew that WWW would provide a supportive community—the kind that would teach me things like the "sandwich approach" where you sandwich the negative feedback between two pieces of positive feedback—an approach I would practice over the years in three different WWW mixed genre writing groups. Before WWW, "sandwich approach" meant throwing a slice of bologna between two buns and praying that it would pacify my children long enough for me to squeeze in a page or two of writing.  Before WWW, I didn't know an editor from an agent, exposition from preposition, or flashback from flash fiction. Before WWW, I didn't understand that an organization of women writers could and would become so integral to my writing career. Before WWW, I knew just one thing:  I had a story to write. Thankfully, I made a friend who would set me on the path to write it.
 

— Lisa Tognola, Author of As Long As It's Perfect