Sally Painter & Lori Soard
by Tamara McHatton
It took a bit, but SUITE was able to get Slly and Lori to sit still for a minute or two and answer some questions. So here now...are the two powerhouses!
SUITE: Hello ladies, welcome. We're so glad you decided to do this interview. You have so much information to give out, I only hope we can do it justice.
Sally: Hello T! Glad to be here, and I'm thrilled to be doing this interview.
Lori: Hello as well...so ask away!
SUITE: LOL…let's get right to the point then. Tell us a bit about WRW.
Sally: World Romance Writers is an all-inclusive group of writers, authors, editors, publishers, and agents. Basically, anyone who is in the romance fiction arena. We even have a couple of screenwriters as part of the group.
Lori: I love this group. The women (and a few good men!) who are involved are warm, caring people, who will answer questions and try to help in just about any area. We have a great time on the list. We also have a lot of new things starting up, such as our reader's list and we have an online retreat so our members can learn more about the craft.
SUITE: How did you two come up with the idea of WRW?
Sally: We started WRW in 1999 as a non-profit, then in 2002, we ended the charter and turned it into a website and maintained the yahoo list. We are now at 500 members.
Lori: We felt there was a need for a group where everyone could bounce ideas off one another. There are a lot of great lists out there, but many don't allow editors and publishers. There was a real need for a forum where we can all share with one another and learn. We have several agents and editors on our list and they add details a writer might not.
SUITE: What do you hope to achieve with WRW?
Sally: WRW provides a haven for its members. We are a cyber community. Our members post the kinds of emails that resemble how you would connect in real life meetings with friends over coffee, lunch, etc. We share information and news about the industry and ourselves. It is not like your typical writers group. We allow one word posts, hey how are you, thank yous, etc. Our members have thrived with this open dialogue and feeling of community.
Lori: WRW is a large group of friends with a common goal -- to produce the best books possible. Our members are very eclectic. Many write across several genres, and nonfiction as well. Yet, even though we're scattered all over the world and we have different goals and preferences, we all offer support and encouragement when it's most needed. I truly feel that WRW has become a close-knit family of around 500.
SUITE: What are the plans for the future of WRW?
Sally: We're making it up as we go along. <g> Seriously, Lors and I have conversations and one of us will say, wow, let's do this, our members would really enjoy this. Which is basically how the new list WRR (World Romance Readers) happened. We were discussing what we could do to help our members and this seemed like the natural next step. more >>
