Bet'cha didn't expect an introvert with crippling social-anxiety to be writing a post about community, but that's just what you're reading. To be fair, I'm not using the term "community" really as a reference to actual physical presence - as in "company" - but rather birds of a feather. In other words, experiencing the works and interacting with other Horror/Suspense writers.
Recently, I went down to Portland, Oregon, and took part in an event hosted by a personal hero of mine, Chuck Palahniuk. In the presence of roughly three-dozen other local authors, we shared shorts and mingled a bit. I shared Worse Than Death, and it got a good reception. Highlight of my evening, however, was when I met Mr. Palahniuk face-to-face, shook his hand, and presented him with a signed copy of Die Anne (the personal favorite of my collection).
Alright, granted, that example was about physical proximity. Still, I'm talking about "community" in the broader sense of the word. A good example is the highly talented writer Isaac Thorn. He was a guest on my podcast, The 13th Story, several years ago, and we still communicate pretty regularly on social media. Likewise, master of transgressive fiction, Nick Younker, was a podcast guest and I just had the pleasure of experiencing his short Ella Minnow on Substack. In fact, if it wasn't for reaching out to the Horror Community with the podcast, I would have never have met up-and-coming Director Gino Alfonso, and now the film adaption of Harvest is in Post-Production (a fact that still blows my mind). Being on-set, meeting the cast and crew, watching production was a highlight of my life.
Point is, the value in participating as a member of the community is immense.
Peace.