Here's how you do it. A writing circle is a group of like-minded authors who seek camaraderie among peers. They want to know what others think of what they've put down on paper. Usually the writing circle is geographically confined to your neighborhood or town. Sometimes it's restricted by profession--just teachers, or just lawyers. Sometimes it's all that and further restricted by genre--just romance or just thrillers.

The internet has allowed many writing circles to flourish around the world. There's a lot of flexibility there.

The ones currently up and running are usually posted on library bulletin boards. Or you can search the internet for one more to your liking. If there's nothing in your area, feel free to start one yourself. In fact, if you can start one yourself, so much the better.

Would these writers like to know what's hot in their respective markets? Of course they would. You volunteer to get that information for them.

Call, (don't write, don't email or mail, but call) those people who have the information your writing circle members would like to have. Call a trade editor at a publishing house and tell her the Lower Missawani Writing Circle will be having a meeting in a couple of weeks and they've asked you to briefly tell them what kind of books the publisher is looking for.

Or call a few literary agents. "The Lower Missawani Writing Circle will be having a meeting in a couple of weeks and they've asked me to find out what's the biggest problem literary agents have with new writers?"

You're not selling them anything. You're not badgering them about a manuscript that was sent in unsolicited. You're just looking for a few quick answers to some common questions.

Depending on the geography, and the size of your writing circle, you can invite them to speak to your group. And you'll be taking care of all the arrangements and acting as host for your guest.

If you meet a publishing contact at a convention or other book meeting, this is your way to start a conversation. You're not there simply saying, "I have a manuscript and." You're saying you gather information for your writing circle and you were wondering if you could give them a call in a few days to ask them a couple of questions that would be useful to many writers in the group.

When you get the information (however you get it), send them a thank you note. And send them a thank you note on behalf of you and the writing circle every month from that point on. You'll be asking them additional questions as time goes on and you want them to remember you.

In fact, you want to establish a relationship, a friendship of sorts, with these people. Then, when your manuscript is ready, you can call the right people immediately. They'll call you back because they know you. They know you're not some sort of nut. And they know you're committed to their success as well as the success of other writers. All things being equal, people would rather do business with their friends. All things being unequal, people would still rather do business with their friends.

And your writing circle has allowed you to make quite a few!