I’ve always tried to have a hand in some kind of volunteer work, and not purely out of altruism. Through this work, I’ve enjoyed many of the benefits that volunteers typically experience, according to researchers: a stronger sense of connection with others and an increased sense of purpose, to name just a couple of the positives.

Over time, I’ve learned a few lessons about what works—and doesn’t—for me as a volunteer. In case you’re thinking of stepping into the volunteering ring yourself in the new year, I thought I’d share what I’ve learned. (For the purposes of this blog post, I’m focusing mostly on longer-term opportunities, not on one-time volunteering gigs, though of course the latter are incredibly worthwhile and valuable.)

Find a good match for your personality. As an introvert, I know that any volunteer gig that requires, say, knocking on strangers’ doors, making a lot of phone calls, or doing any other kind of public outreach won’t be a good fit for me over time. Although I’m willing to do such work occasionally, any long-term gig of this sort would leave me drained and inclined to give up.

Instead, I’ve found it much more rewarding and agreeable to do one-on-one volunteering—for example, helping a vet draft a book on health care advances, and being a Big Sister. These opportunities have helped me form meaningful bonds with others while doing work that interests me personally—more on that below.

To find volunteering opportunities that match your personality, consider whether you’re at your best when you’re mixing it up with the public, or focusing on more private or independent endeavors. You might also identify the aspects of your paid work that you most (or least) like.

With those preferences in mind, you might then try a volunteer-personality quiz, like the one available through VolunteerMatch.

Find a good match for your interests. If you do, you’ll have a better chance of staying engaged in and committed to your volunteer opportunity, and you’ll almost certainly find it more rewarding than you would otherwise.

My decision to found SmallPressPicks.com, through which I review fiction from small publishers, was driven by my interest in writing and in supporting a part of the literary community that is especially important to me.

As a novelist, I’ve learned how important reviews can be to authors and publishers: they help books find readers and build credibility in the marketplace. But it’s never been harder to get one’s work reviewed. Because newspapers have been struggling financially, cutting staff and pages per issue, many of them are cutting back on or eliminating their book-review sections, if they ever reviewed books in the first place.

Those newspapers (and other media outlets) that do review books tend to focus on leading titles from major publishers, and books from smaller presses are often passed over. Because of this, and because small/indie presses are publishing a growing share of literary fiction—my personal favorite—I decided to review only their books.

In short, I feel as if I’m on an (albeit humble) mission with Small Press Picks, one I’m passionate about and committed to.

Online tools like VolunteerMatch allow you to search for volunteering opportunities that appeal to your interests. But if, like me, you identify a need that isn’t being filled (or filled adequately) by existing organizations or initiatives, you might help meet this need on your own.

Look for volunteering opportunities that will suit your schedule. Are you able to volunteer once a week? once a month? only on evenings or weekends? Chances are good that you’ll be able to find an opportunity that fits your schedule. And if you aren’t up for a long-term commitment, many charitable organizations offer one-time volunteering opportunities for individuals and groups.

As an aside, creating your own gig, as I did with Small Press Picks, is a great way to maintain control over your volunteering time.

Look for volunteering opportunities that you’ll get something out of. This advice may sound odd in an article about the ostensibly selfless act of volunteering. But let’s be realistic: are you going to be able to remain committed to an activity in which, say, you find little meaning or have no significant interest?

But the benefits of volunteering can go far beyond personal engagement. For example, the right gig can help you build new skills or establish connections in a field you’d like to pursue professionally.

Or volunteering might serve you in some other capacity. Through Small Press Picks, for example, I’m trying to support small publishers and their authors, thereby helping to maintain a market for the fiction I most love to read—and write. Put another, more pointed way, if small presses vanished entirely, it’s unlikely that any of my fiction would see the light of day.

If you decide to try out, or continue with, volunteering in the coming year, I hope it proves rewarding. If you have any insights or advice to share from your volunteering experience(s), I’d love to hear them.

A final aside to fellow writers: Small Press Picks is part of my efforts to be a good literary citizen. I hope to address literary citizenship, the focus of much discussion in the writing community, in a future post.