I just posted this forum post over at http://www.sfsite.com/fsf/blog/forum/:

“In this world of blogs and social networking, which seem to me often quite introspective or very diffuse, do there still exist writers’ communities with more influence than the local writers’ circle, which is often a disparate collection of aspiring writers, many of whom are unpublished and likely to remain so. I’m thinking of groups of the past such as the Futurians (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futurians), are there any such groups of talented writers developing, and if not, why not?

In some ways the web gives you access to a lot more support and help from other writers, but the very size means that you don’t necessarily form strong bonds with anyone who shares your interests.”