Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators British Isles

This is a link to a the SCWBIs (British Isles) social network page (you need to be a member to join)
I have been to their conference which is held at Winchester University a couple of times and always found it incredibly useful but that was really all my contact with the group, until I joined Facebook that is.
Through that social network, which is much maligned, I have made contact and friends with a lot of members. It has proved to be a wonderful resource and has meant I am kept up to date with what is going on within the SCBWI. But on top of that it has provided a forum where discussions can take place about writerly issues but also a place to celebrate successes. It has created a great community where there is no sense of 'them' (the published) and 'us' (the great unpublished). It is also useful to see that sometimes well established authors have the same doubts as the rest of us.
This sense of community is very important as writing, even writing for children, is a very solitary occupation. The Ning site adds to this community whilst also providing a seemingly unending amount of information for the aspiring and already published writer alike. I recommend becoming part of the SCBWI as it is a great resource and provides a wonderful support network.

See you there....I hope.