Networking with Tex Thompson

In case you don't already know Tex Thompson, I'm thrilled to introduce the writing community to my friend, author, literary locksmith, and networker extraordinaire. This conversation is for the benefit of those of us who are introverted writers and need some skills and encouragement to venture out into the Writing Community, as well as for those who do not have a local community of writers, but would like to create one.

About Our Guest:

Arianne "Tex" Thompson is a licensed locksmith, egregiously enthusiastic editor, and professional ruckus-raiser. She is the author of Children of the Drought, an internationally-published epic fantasy Western trilogy from Solaris, as well as an instructor for Writing Workshops Dallas and ‘chief instigator’ of WORD – Writers Organizations ‘Round Dallas.  Now she’s blazing a trail through conferences, workshops, and conventions around the country – as an endlessly energetic, catastrophically cheerful one-woman stampede. 

Find Tex on her website, or connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

Topics Discussed in the Episode

 See the tab above, “Chapter Markers,” for a complete list of topics and timestamps. 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

• Children of the Drought by Arianne “Tex” Thompson
• A Burglar's Guide to the City by Geoff Manaugh
• WORD – Writers Organizations ‘Round Dallas
• NaNoWriMo National Novel Writing Month (every November)
• The Pedestriennes: America's Forgotten Superstars by Harry Hall
• Ozarks Writing Conference
• Willamette Writers Conference
• Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc.
• Writer’s League of Texas
• DFW Writers Convention
• Writer’s in the Field Annually, the second weekend of October in Mansfield, TX

All the links for Authorpreneurs Unleashed and Unleashing the Next Chapter:

• Learn more about Unleashing the Next Chapter, Authorpreneurs Unleashed, and Kathryn at UnleashingTheNextChapter.com.
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• Subscribe to the Authorpreneurs Unleashed podcast HERE or through your favorite podcast player.

Chapters

• 0:35 Introduction, Tex Thompson
• 5:38 Tex's networking skills/gifts
• 8:00 WORD … coordinating North Texas Writers Organizations
• 9:00 Tex was everywhere! 150+ days out of town
• 11:00 Key questions to networking
• 17:00 Q: “There are no groups near me, what should I do?”
• 24:40 Resources to start a group
• 33:00 Train your Heir
• 34:00 Conference/Convention to learn & Networking
• 37:00 Conferences NEED volunteers, go, learn & network
• 41:30 Wearing something unique makes you approachable
• 45:00 Tex Ed Classes
• 46:25 Writer’s in the Field - got Tex hooked on Locksmithing
• 48:30 3 Fast Faves