After years of an unsuccessful search for a new agent, I found one through a friend I met on Genie. Editors of invitation-only anthologies may tend to think first of the people they know online. Even if one doesn't get invited into the anthologies, the freshest market information is usually online. So is the latest news about editorial musical chairs, publisher mergers and take-overs, misbehaving agents, and much other business information. Hanging out and talking shop with editors and writers online is a great education and motivator, too.
Writing is an isolated lifestyle.
Online communities can save our sanity, keep us socialized, keep us informed, keep us happy. One online community probably saved the life of a SFWA member who might have died rather horribly if online friends hadn't been aware of health problems, become worried about an absence of posts, and found someone local to investigate. I plan to put up a backlist catalogue, order forms, better descriptions of available issues, more cover art, etc. We're trying to increase our subscription base, and we're still struggling against the popular misconception that only SFWA members can subscribe to the Bulletin . Many people who would enjoy it and find it extremely useful either don't know about it or don't know they can subscribe.