I stumbled here after a random comment on a recent Neil Gaiman webcast interview reminded me that I need to find a local writers group. Facebook reveals that we have at least one friend in common, and I think a friend of mine linked one of your Wise Bread articles (I don't remember which one but I remember reading "Who Cheated Us Out of Our Amazing Future?" when perusing the site). I also wonder if perhaps I know you from the local cycling community - for long rides I ride with the PCC or Small Pack Mentality Level 3s, and sometimes with Wild Card, but I also have a ladies hybrid I fly through South Farms on en route to work.

Reading bits of your blog and Wise Bread articles it seems to me that we are remarkably similar. I have a degree in Economics from UIUC and work at a software company in the U of I Research Park. I used to commonly say "working's for suckers," though (in the present economy I perhaps have more tact), and have been trying to save aggressively with the hope of getting out of the working business so I can write full-time.

I'm all too well aware that the number one thing that any established author will say about eking a living out writing (mostly speculative fiction, in my case) is that one must start by writing. I was lucky enough to get a personal comment from the author James D. MacDonald on Making Light a few months ago which he ended by saying "Keep going. Revise along the way if you must, but don't forget to create original material every day." I know enough about myself to know that I am good with deadlines, so if I had a meeting at which I had to present some progress on a regular basis, I would have progress.

One way to do this is to go to Clarion, of course. But this summer I am saving to pay for my wedding, and next summer I am getting married, and neither thing involves having the money to go to Clarion. So again, writers groups... I don't think I'm Incognito material, since I haven't ever gotten any fiction published (I have had some other teeny publications). Do you happen to know which of the local fiction groups might be the best fit for a speculative fiction beginner? Ideally, I would find one that would meet every week with each member presenting work for review every week, but I know that's shooting the moon.

Mostly though, I just wanted to say "Hello," and "I'm glad you're in my town writing seriously," and "Go, you, making me think about being a rentier."