Many writers despise networking. Networking can produce serious anxiety in those who worry that they'll come off as awkward. Just as importantly: many of us don't have time to do the networking necessary to advance our careers -- many of us have responsibilities both at home and at our day jobs -- and what little free time we have, we'd like to spend writing. But since networking is crucial for your career, let's think of a few ways to take your networking game up a notch.
Rejection is the worst. Every writer who has ever shown their work to someone else knows this. Sharing your most personal creations puts you at risk for the most terrible sort of pain. Unless you're standing on a boat, scribbling pages and tossing them into the sea, sharing your work means there's a chance you'll face rejection. And everyone, everyone in Hollywood gets rejected at some point. Yes, everyone.