It's the first Wednesday of the month and time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group post. A huge shout out to or fearless leader Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh for starting this amazing online collaboration and this month's hosts for all their hard work! If you're an insecure writer or looking to support others who are, check us out here!
I fear that my insecurities this month are much the same as they've been the past several as I struggle to get back on the writing horse and actually make some headway on a new piece. It's hard to stay motivated when I have a completed novel out there wasting away without a publisher, and an agent I'm worried might have lost my number. But I battle on, trying to nudge that cynical voice whispering dark thoughts in my ear to the back of my mind.
On a happier note, the IWSG's Guide to Publishing and Beyond is now available for download! For those of you who are new to the group, it's a collaborative work with contributors across the blogosphere and it's bursting with great tips on writing and the publishing industry.
Here's a quick synopsis from the IWSG website:
Tapping into the expertise of over a hundred talented authors from around the globe, The IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond contains something for every writer. Whether you are starting out and need tips on the craft of writing, looking for encouragement as an already established author, taking the plunge into self-publishing, or seeking innovative ways to market and promote your work, this guide is a useful tool. Compiled into three key areas of writing, publishing, and marketing, this valuable resource offers inspirational articles, helpful anecdotes, and excellent advice on dos and don'ts that we all wish we knew when we first started out on this writing journey.
If you're interested in getting a copy, you can find it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashword, and Goodreads.
ISBN 9781939844088
Good luck fellow IWSGer's. No matter your insecurities this month, keep up the hard work. And of course, happy blogging!
Good luck on placing your novel and on new projects! I think many of us have the same trouble buckling down on new things. It takes so much energy...
ReplyDeleteMaybe you need to start writing something new? It will help pass the time while you wait. Because there is a lot of waiting...
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with Alex. Start something that excites you. Or rework that work-in-progress. The waiting is endless. It's so hard to quiet those voices of doubt!! Keep your chin up:)
ReplyDeleteYou are so talented, my friend. Try not to get down. I like the idea of starting fresh with a new project.
ReplyDeleteIt can be hard to tell that annoying voice to shut up. Just keep on trying.
ReplyDeleteKeep writing! That is always the best thing to do when you're waiting to publish one book; write your next. And it wouldn't hurt to give your agent a gentle email to ask how things are going. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI tend to repeat the insanity of my same weaknesses over and over again. Hopefully I'll learn from them someday!
ReplyDeleteFrom all I have read from various bloggers, it takes a stone's age before anyone hears back. Keep faith and it will happen. I agree with others here, get busy, whatever you wish to do to keep busy and if that means writing another great novel...then engage the pen!
ReplyDeleteIt takes a fine strength of character (not in a literary sense here) to wish others success with their endeavors when our own seem to stall, SL. What you send out to the world comes back to you. BTW, I love the name of your blog! :O)
ReplyDeleteThe waiting game is the hard part. Hope you find that muse again.
ReplyDeleteI find that my insecurities tend to be the same ones, just repeating over and over again. Sometimes I'd like to punch them in the face
ReplyDeleteHope everything works out with your book finding a home. I think it's a good idea to start working on a new project, too. It'll keep your mind off of things and you won't feel like you're wasting this time while you wait.
ReplyDeleteIt's only a matter of time, so keep at it.
ReplyDeleteAnna from Shout with Emaginette
Keep going! And ignore that voice in the back of your head. She doesn't know what she's talking about!
ReplyDeleteI think we keep our same insecurities so we can polish them to a shine!
ReplyDeleteGetting discouraged is one of my biggest insecurities as well. But what's the alternative? Not writing? Carry on! And thank you for this inspiring post, as it touched on a struggle I'm dealing with right now.
ReplyDelete