What being a Word Wench Means to Us

 

Nicola here. Today, as part of our Word Wench Blog 10^th anniversary celebrations, we’re talking about what makes the Word Wenches such a special group to be a part of. Some of us are founder members of the blog and talk about the reasons it was set up in the first place and the ways in which it has grown and changed. Others, myself included, became Wenches along the way and joined a blog that continues to be dynamic, diverse, and fascinating, and a group of writers who are wonderfully insightful and supportive. Then there are our readers and regular blog commenters. Again, some have been with the blog since the beginning and others have joined in along the way, and together we have created what feels to me to be a special community. That’s my view of the Word Wenches, anyway – here is what my fellow Wenches have to say, plus some photos of Wenches having fun - at conferences, at weddings, with hats and even by the sea!

Pat:

Ten years ago, the Word Wenches came together because our NYC traditional publishers requested that we begin interacting with our readers through social media. For introverted writers accustomed to spending all our days in our writing caves, only coming out to meet readers on special occasions, this was a huge technological and social leap into the unknown. So we banded together and held each other’s hands and took the leap. At that time, in 2006, I was finishing up the Magical Malcolm series, starting on the Rebellious Sons, writing an urban fantasy, and wishing I could publish my satirical mystery. My how time flies!

Back then, we were barely familiar with blog software and had no idea of the electronic publishing revolution on our horizon. The first Kindle wasn’t introduced until the end of 2007. Smashwords didn’t come along until 2008. But by 2009, almost 76% of mass market fiction was self published. And that’s when authors began looking at their backlists and thinking...hmm. I reissued GENUINE ARTICLE in 2009 and haven’t looked back. The wenches and our readers gave me the encouragement I needed to continue reissuing electronic editions and to publish that first mystery, EVIL GENIUS, without the aid of traditional publishers. Thank you, one and all, for the roller coaster ride!

Andrea /Cara:

At first blush, it’s easy to articulate what being a part of the Word Wenches means to me. Writing is a solitary endeavor, and we authors spend countless hours crafting our stories and characters (and countless bars of chocolate bribing the Muse to hand over her fair share of Inspiration!) That’s hard enough, but the fact that tooting our own horn about our books is now an integral part of the job is even more daunting, as we tend to be introverts. So the group blog is a wonderful Lifeboat. By rowing together—that is, by sharing our mutual love of research, history, language, craft as well as the quirky things in life that make us smile—we’ve found it’s easier to navigate through the swirling currents of the internet and wave the flag so readers who enjoy the type of books we write can find us.

But for me, the Wenches are far more than a valuable promotional vehicle. It’s become a priceless source of friendship and camaraderie. Though we’re scattered around the globe, we talk every day on our group e-mail loop, occasionally about business matters but mostly about Life. We share personal ups and downs, knowing there will always be cyber cheers or cyber hugs wrapping around us. We’re not just professional colleagues, we’ve become BFFs, and that’s something special beyond words.

Anne:

I was a Word Wenches reader long before I became a wench. I don't remember when I first started reading them, but it was shortly after they started blogging I think. A lot of blogs started up around then -- it was the new hot thing for authors to do. Most of them have since faded away. The wenches flourished.

In those early days they blogged every day -- seven wenches, one for each day of the week. I loved it and it became part of my morning ritual to have my first coffee of the day with the wenches, and the quality discussions that occurred from time to time in the comment stream.

But it must have been a punishing schedule -- I know today, when I have to blog once a fortnight, I sometimes catch myself thinking, "My turn again? Already?"

I do know that the following year I met Jo and Mary Jo and Pat at a small writers' conference in San Diego and expressed my disappointment that they'd switched to  blogging three days a week. They just looked at me -- yes, that kind of look. LOL

I've been a Word Wench now for seven years, and it's been a wonderful experience. We still haven't all met face to face, but we talk on email every day, and we're all friends. We've supported each other through some pretty tough times, we share the ups and downs of this crazy business, and when there's something to celebrate we celebrate it. I also love it that we're an international blog -- that the sun never sets on the Wench Empire.

So thank you wenches, and wenchly readers, for the company, the laughs, the insights and the stories. 

Anne, looking forward to the next ten years.

Mary Jo:

An advantage of being slow with one of these collaborative posts is that by the time I get to it, my sister Wenches have already said

everything of importance. <G> Ten years ago blogging was the Hot New Thing, but I knew darn well I couldn't be clever and entertaining very often, so safety in numbers!

As Susan said, "We've always wanted the Word Wenches blog to provide readers with a virtual place to mutually enjoy and explore historical fiction, history and sundry."

I do a lot of "sundry." <G> Other Wenches do brilliant historical posts, while I'm more inclined to wander into odd corners. And that's part of the fun of a blog: it gives me a chance to briefly explore things that will never fit into whatever book I'm writing.

But the best thing about the Word Wenches is the community we've built. Once upon a time, writing was a lonely business with authors sitting in icy garrets and morosely sharpening their goose quill pens. No more!   Now we can share triumphs and disasters and everyday annoyances, like cats who sit on keyboards. No matter what the challenge, I know the other Wenches have my back, just as I have theirs. That's a blogging benefit I never expected--but I'm grateful for it every day.

Joanna:

I'm the last wench in. The newest one. Like Anne, I was a long-time follower of the Word Wenches before I became one. Now, for me, the Wenches have become a writing 'family' spread all about the world.

 I live on a mountain top far out in the country. Beautiful, quiet . . . but also pretty much empty of people. Squirrels, we got and raccoons, snapping turtles, bear, and coyotes. Not so much great herds of humanity. Even when I drive 12 miles or so into town, it is not a sophisticated place with a vibrant literary community. It's more John Deere than John Donne​.

So I make my writing friends online, mostly, and see them in person only rarely, at conferences.

The Wenches have helped me so much in times of trouble in my life. They've joined me in celebration of the many good times. And nobody understands better the difficulties and triumphs of a writer's life.

So I raise a glass to the Wenches. Happy Tenth. All for One and One for All.

Susan:

My sister Wenches have eloquently expressed what it means to be Wenches, and I echo that. When Mary Jo and I sat at lunch with Eileen Buckholtz, our web guru, those years ago and brainstormed an author blog, then asked some writer friends to join us, none of us dreamed we would still be doing this a decade later. The original Word Wenches included Mary Jo, Jo Beverley, Pat Rice, Edith Layton, Susan Holloway Scott, Loretta Chase and me. We were friends who bonded further over the blogging process, and worked very hard to keep it fresh and interesting and running well with the help of the original Wench Whipster, Sherrie Holmes. We learned how to organize the effort by working collaboratively and cooperatively--and we managed the bumps as they came along. A few years later, sadly we lost a few of our Originals, and happily welcomed Andrea Pickens, Anne Gracie, Nicola Cornick and Joanna Bourne into the fold; when Sherrie retired we welcomed the wonderful Melissa Beverley. Recently with the sad loss of Jo Beverley, we're transitioning and moving forward again. The Wenches may not always know what's around the next corner, but we'll figure it out and help each other do so. That's Life. 

What never changes is the core friendship, support and collaboration we share. We cheer, we commiserate, we step in to help, and we tap each other's talents and abilities, adding to the quality of the blog and the depth of the friendships. We email every day, some of it blog business. Part of our longevity is that we each have a balanced, positive perspective on what's most important as writers, as professional authors, as bloggers, as women and as friends. No one opinion overrides the whole, and we focus on what's best for the blog and what it can offer. We've always wanted the Word Wenches blog to provide readers with a virtual place to mutually enjoy and explore historical fiction, history and sundry, a place they can always find something informative and entertaining, a place that's like a parlor with friendly, familiar faces--authors and readers--where readers feel welcome to check in, comment, ask questions. Along the way we've forged a strong group of friends--and that love and respect for each other infuses the blog and makes it better for all of us. I'm proud to be a Wench, proud of what we've accomplished over the years--two print published anthologies as a blog group is pretty remarkable!--and I'm honored to have such wonderful friends. 

Thank you from all of us to all our readers for being a part of the Word Wench community and contributing so much.  I hope we all have the experience of belonging to a group that enriches our lives, either online or in person. The Word Wenches is one such place – please tell us about those groups of friends, colleagues, readers or others that you feel add richness to YOUR life.  Prizes will be awarded to commenters accumulated over the anniversary blogs and we will be drawing names next weekend!

Comments

[Anne Gracie]

I'm sitting here grinning, even though I've already read these posts as they came in on email. Thank you., Nicola for putting them all together. And how wonderful for it to be National Best Friends Day. Thank you everyone..

[Nicola Cornick]

It does seem appropriate, doesn't it, Anne!

[Laura Boon]

Thank you for sharing your friendship as well as your knowledge with us. As I am a relative latecomer to the Word Wenches blog, it was lovely for me to read about how you all came together as a group. And to pick up some book history in the process from Pat.
I belong to the Romance Writers of Australia and it gives me a wonderful sense of community. I've made some incredible friends through it as well. And I have to credit a Wench (Anne) for introducing them to me. I took a course with her through our state writing centre. She encouraged us to join and I've never looked back. A life-changing decision!

[Mary T]

I, too, am a relative newcomer to this site. Don't remember what led me here, but I'm sure glad I found you guys. Some of you were quite familiar to me, others of you were new. Love pulling up this website with my morning coffee. Found out so many new and interesting things here. Painless history lessons (smile) and introductions to new authors and books. I even enjoy reading the responses that other readers leave. You ladies rock. Keep up the good work!

[Tai]

Getting to read your blogs and your books for the past nine years or so has been a life link to me! I know few people who share my passions for history and romance the way that you all do and express! I discovered this blog at the darkest time in my life. I got the help I needed. But I know that your books, the brave characters, the inspiring stories you all share, your passion for history helped me to know that the things I care about are shared and as important to you all as they are to me. I have not idea how to express how much that has meant to me and will continue to mean to me! Thank you to each of you for being you, for sharing yourselves, your words, your stories, your willingness, your focus on what is right and good in this world!

[Nicola Cornick]

Thank you, Laura. We're so happy you enjoy Word Wenches and that through Anne you also found other inspirational writing groups! That's how the collaboration and support works and it's a wonderful thing!

[Nicola Cornick]

Thanks so much, Mary! Painless history lessons LOL! Yes, it is so much more fun than history I remember in school!

[Nicola Cornick]

Tai, thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences, and an other huge thank you for your lovely words about the blog. It's wonderful to find like-minded people with a passion for history and a love of good books. It's one of the things I lvoe about all my writing and history groups. We are so lucky to be able to "meet" virtually as well as in real life!

[Andrea Penrose]

Mary, I love interacting with our readers—you all are an integral part of the Wench family. You make it fun to do this—and I've gotten so many great book recommendations from our monthly What We Are Reading post.

Thanks to all of you for being here.

[Andrea Penrose]

I'm humbled, Tai. And so happy that we been a source of friendship and support.I think at heart that why we all write—to celebrate hope and love.

[Patricia Franzino]

I have a wonderful supportive group of friends in the Vegan and Vegetarian Meetup who know the struggle of dealing with food intolerance and the need to find different ways of making meals more palatable.

We email and find time to see each other and swap recipes. It brings a greater aliveness to our group to feel a stronger well-being individually.

I am so grateful for them.

[Anne Gracie]

Laura, I'm so glad you've found your tribe. :) It's a lovely tribe to belong to.

[Patricia Rice]

I can't help it, the history bits always creep in, because they're always relevant to the current day. And this is how we create a writing community--by reaching out to each other. Welcome to our world!

[Patricia Rice]

Yes, isn't it wonderful that we can find our tribe online? Hope your community is always as lovely and supportive as ours.

[Sonya Heaney]

"A lot of blogs started up around then -- it was the new hot thing for authors to do. Most of them have since faded away."

Yes, it's true, and it is so sad. You have big book sites claiming that "It's all happening on Twitter now!", but Twitter is not a blog, and it does not encourage interaction (unless you're part of the Dear Autho/Smart Bitches clique!).

I am sad whenever I see yet another book blog die out, because blogs are the only place (other than Goodreads) I want to go to for discussion on books.

[Sonya Heaney]

*Author*!

[NinaP]

The Word Wenches blog saved me from many of a bad (and sometimes lonely) day, especially when I traveled 2 weeks out of every month for work. Now, I rarely travel past my downstairs office (that's fine with me!). But in the small hours, when the world seems deadly quiet, I still turn to you for a refreshing reprieve. Thank you!

[Anne Gracie]

Nina, as one of our long-term commenters, it's also nice for us to see familiar names popping up in the comment stream. I think our wenchly community is very special. And hey, because we're international, there's always a wench awake somewhere, any time of the day or night. :)

[Anne Gracie]

It is sad, Sonya, but I also understand when author blogs close. There is even more pressure these days on authors to produce books, and write faster and get more books out there, and something has to go . . .
Thank goodness for the people who keep book discussions happening.

[Susan King]

Nina, you've been a loyal friend to the blog since the beginning and a friend and publisher to some of us as individual authors too. I'm glad you've found the WW blog a good place to hang out and talk about books! And we all especially understand that staying up to the wee hours to finish the work thing!

[Vicki L.]

I've totally enjoyed this blog because it is friendly, welcoming and full of fascinating historical tidbits and different slants on an idea.

Some blogs I read the comments are , oh, huh. This one, definitely I go make a point of checking all the comments because there are SO many great comments back and forth between readers and Wenches that shed even more light and another 50 ways of looking at something.

It was a stroke of genius that the blog was started with multiple authors and y'all have kept it up that way. So much less stressful than just one person per blog.

[Janice]

I too have enjoyed the conversation here since I don't really know when, maybe since the beginning. It's a friendly way to get to know a bit about the authors whose books I have enjoyed. Twitter, Facebook, book signings and meet and greets are all very well, but they don't offer the opportunity for more than a brief impression and a quickly forgotten bit of banter. This site and the way you use your comment stream offer a chance to get into things in much more depth.

I like what all you Wenches and all you commenters write about your opinions, reactions, and what you bring to the reading and writing.

A very happy Tenth, and long may it all continue.

[Annette Naish]

You know, in the great scheme of things - 10 years is not a lot. The Hundred Years War lasted longer than 10 years. The Roman Empire lasted longer than 10 years. The Kardashians seem to have lasted MUCH longer than 10 years.

Personally, I am glad y'all have lasted 10 years. This is sort of like me living in Texas...I wasn't born here, but I got here as soon as I heard about it.

Now, to the serious stuff. I think that the reason you have been with us for 10 years, you are good. Not only are you talented writers, but you also are human beings who look at the world and see great stuff. I have learned about history, I have learned about human beings and I have learned about you. I think that one of the reasons I enjoy the blog is I feel as though I have learned who you are.

Thank you for the 10 years. Thank you for writing lovely stories. Most of all thank you for sharing with us.

[Nicola Cornick]

Thank you for the good wishes, Janice. I think your comments about building up a community emphasise how important it is for us to have lively commenters on the blog, whether they are regular visitors or people who drop in every so often. It all adds to the richness of the discussions.

[Nicola Cornick]

Hi Vicki

Yes, there is a strength in being a group blog in lots of ways, I think. Not only can we spark ideas off each other but it does allow for swapping dates around to help out, giving support and encouragement, as well as discussing topics that are fascinating to us all!

[Nicola Cornick]

LOL, Annette! So true about the Kardashians!! Thank you - and to all the commenters - who have made such interesting and insightful comments about the blog. I was once at a conference where the keynote speaker said that the best writing has something profound to say about human nature, no matter the genre it's in. A community like this enables us all to share ideas, to share life. It's great!

[Teresa Broderick]

I first came to Word Wenches through Nicola's website. I love Nicola's books. I'm so glad I found this blog. I check it everyday in case I'm missing anything lol! I have so many books to read from all the recommendations I get here. Congratulations on your anniversary. And here's to the next ten!

[Kareni]

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts. A very happy 10th anniversary to you all. Long may you thrive.

[Nicola Cornick]

Thanks you, Teresa. I am so pleased you found the Wenches and enjoy the blog - and thanks for your lovely words about my books!

[Nicola Cornick]

Thank you very much for the good wishes, Kareni!