The same question comes up time and time again. How can a community come together with the people and resources to make a difference? But whether we are talking about poetry, art, music, community activism or fast food, the same answer applies across the board. It is a basic principle of marketing and sales. If any one entity is going to achieve marked success, they must overcome the fear of competition. It is a silent killer of the energy needed to fuel the buying interest of the consumer.

Now that may not be the creative answer you'd expect coming from the mind of an poet. But its how the America economy and now increasing so, the global economy is structured. You are likely to sell more hamburgers if you are on the same street with Burger King, Rally's, Taco Bell and KFC, than were you positioned by yourself in the heart of a starving community. Believe it our not, most of those hungry residents are more likely to drive by your lone outpost to get there tastes bugs flowing on the street with the smorgasbord of ideas.

The Hampton Roads community is facing an epidemic challenge on every level. And though we artistic souls like to think ourselves above the fight over the almighty dollar, it is as much about attention, as it is about money. The reason we have not come together at the top, is perhaps because we have not come together at the bottom. Many would say that Hampton Roads or Tidewater has not achieved a national status because of the fear of neighboring cities to share the stage. Norfolk believes it can gain more by spending a million dollars on an advertisement that says, Come to Norfolk, than they would spending 250,000 on a cooperative effort that says "Welcome to Hampton Roads" Individual cities will continue to make meager gains until they pool their resources.

So much hay to say that as writers in a regional market, we must overcome our fear of competition and pool every ounce of energy we can muster to become an Appalachia. In terms of the wine connoisseur the designation an Appalachia like Napa Valley or The Sierra means that grapes grown there are sought after by the industry. So if the writing industry is looking for a good writer, they should be coming to Virginia because we have a history of growing some of the best writers in the country.

To do this membership in our organizations must overlap. We should be networking not just for ourselves, but for the entire writing community. Yes - we should be talking about ourselves, but as part of something much bigger than we are. We should be passing around referrals like they are candy. We should not devalue our talent by working for free when our contractors clearly have the ability to pay. They may not realize your worth, but take the time to educate them on behalf of the next struggling writer who follows you. Last but not least, make a pledge to attend the next scheduled forum of fellow writers and share your knowledge.

Nathan M. Richardson
Poet/Published
Spiritual Concepts Publishing
& The Prottype Magazine

(An op -ed commentary written for Candor magazine in Charlottesville and Port Folio Magazine)