Lynn Slaughter Novelist
Blogger
Creative Writing Instructor

Because marketing and promoting our books has become largely our responsibility as authors, we spend a fair among of time doing what we call “BSP,” otherwise known as “blatant self-promotion.”

But today, I want to promote something much larger than myself, which is our amazing professional organization for mystery writers, Sisters in Crime. Founded in 1986 by a group of 26 women crime writers who were frustrated by their inequitable treatment, the organization has grown to an international membership of more than 4500 members. Its vision has expanded to supporting all crime writers, at all levels of career development. Its core values are: “advocacy, equity, inclusion, and community.”

I first joined Sisters in Crime in 2016 when I was a newly minted MFA graduate whose thesis novel was a young adult mystery, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU. I was missing the community and support of other writers that I’d found in grad school and was delighted to discover that Sisters in Crime had a local chapter, Derby Rotten Scoundrels. I immediately joined. I’ve made some wonderful friendships with other mystery writers, and my work has benefited from our monthly speakers and field trips. The chapter offers ongoing critique groups and currently, new sub-groups are forming to address the specific interests and needs of members, such as craft, submissions, and marketing.

Beyond our local chapter, I’ve found membership in the Sisters in Crime online group, the Guppies, amazingly helpful and supportive. Initially founded to support pre-published mystery writers, the group now includes several hundred members at all levels of experience and publishing success. No matter what my question is, chances are a member of Guppies can provide an answer! The group also offers terrific low-cost classes on a variety of topics, critique groups, manuscript swaps, and a wonderful newsletter.  On our list serve, we cheer each other on and celebrate one another’s successes. It’s a remarkably supportive group.

If you’re interested in writing mysteries and this blog sounds like an advertisement to consider membership in Sisters in Crime, you’re absolutely right. We may write alone, but we all need community, support, advocacy, and opportunities to continue to learn and grow as writers.

I’ve found all of that in my membership in Sisters in Crime, and I hope you will, too!