IWSG: Let It Go

Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.

Let me be honest for few minutes here. Aside from messages to friends, the only writings I have done lately have been prayers. They are usually passionate, sincere, and from the heart. I have edited and shared some of my prayers publically, but a lot of them are only between myself and God. That being said, I sometimes feel this guilt about not writing enough shareable content. Yet, the more I think about it, the more I realize that this is not something I should be feeling guilty about. There are different seasons in life, and I am not currently in a season to focus on my writing. I am finally ready to accept the fact that I am not and probably will not become a career writer. Writing will always be a part of my life, but it is not the center of my life.

Going through the KonMari process with my belongings has taught me that sometimes it is best to let something go. I guess my point is that I feel that it is time for me to stop blogging with the IWSG. I will remain in the IWSG Facebook group and I might still participate in some of the Instagram posts. I will also be taking a break from blogging for the summer, unless I come up with a story for the June WEP Challenge. It is hard to say goodbye, but it’s really only a “soft” goodbye. I would like to thank the members of this group (and other bloggers who are not in IWSG) for being supportive and kind to me, even in the times when I did not return your visits. I really enjoyed my experience with the IWSG, with the various types of writing that I tried out, and all the encouragement and advice. I still plan to utilize some of the writing methods I’ve learned through this group.

When I return, I plan to take this blog back to its roots. I started off with devotional posts and life lessons, and that is what I hope to start again. For the summer, if there are any updates on my writing, you can find them on my Facebook page. And if you want to keep up with some of my other life adventures, I check and post to my Instagram fairly regularly.

Thanks for all your support!

IWSG: Slow and Steady

Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.

The question this month is: If you could use a wish to help you write just one scene/chapter of your book, which one would it be? It’s not in a book (maybe it could become one someday), but there is a scene in my fantasy short story I occasionally dabble with. I have the scene building up to the climax, but I cannot seem to find a way I like to move from the climax to the conclusion. Ironically, it’s rather anticlimactic. I cannot tell if the excitement of the event died down too quickly, or if I drag out explanations too long before the end. If that bit would suddenly work itself out, that would be great!

In other news, I am still working through organizing my room. It has been a slow process because there were a lot of things going on during my days off last month. Hopefully, I will make some headway this month since I’m taking some extra time off. I did finish the first category in the KonMari Method, which is clothing. Around that time, I felt my creativity flowing, so I finally sat myself down at the computer to work on some writing, including a story I started for this month’s WEP. I cannot make any promises about getting it finished in time, but I do have that extra time off, so we’ll see.

Good luck to all the A to Z Challenge participants! I wish I could have participated this year, especially since it is the 10^th anniversary, but I still need to work on getting my life more in order. Maybe next year!

IWSG: Slowly Making Progress

Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.

 Sorry about last month. I really thought I would find time to write a post during the week before I left, but I got caught up with over-packing and doing chores that needed to be done before I left. Then I copied down the monthly question and told myself I’d write a post during downtime, but, as is the case with most of my trips, downtime was used for resting.

Aside from experiencing a lot of cold and allergy symptoms since my return from New Mexico, February was a good month. I have been working through the KonMari Method with tidying up my stuff. It has been a slow-going process, but I’ve been seeing a little bit of progress as I make my surroundings more joyful and less cluttered. This process has really put a lot in perspective, and I find myself more thankful for what God has blessed me with. You may ask: What has this got to do with my writing? Quite a lot actually. All the clutter surrounding me has been one of the hindrances to my writing. As a person who likes to be organized, I felt so distracted and unable to concentrate when I tried to write. This is still a work in progress, but I have been thinking more about where I’m going with my writing. At this point, writing a novel is not my goal. I’ve enjoyed doing short stories and devotional writings, and I have a long list of ideas to utilize once my surroundings are more peaceful. It feels good to still be working toward the goal I made in January, which is to make more room for writing, and I’ve taken that quite literally!

Taos, New Mexico

Since I like this month’s optional question, I thought I’d give a quick answer. Whose perspective do you like to write from best, the hero (protagonist) or the villain (antagonist)? And why? I enjoy writing from the hero’s perspective, because I like showing how good can overcome evil within a conflict. I think I also feel more comfortable writing from a perspective that I can relate to. I’ve never tried this, but I have considered writing as the villain in a story of redemption, like The Grinch or my personal favorite: Megamind (if you have not watched that animated movie, I highly recommend!).

IWSG: You Have a Blog?

Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.

The question for January is: What are your favorite and least favorite questions people ask you about your writing?

I do not get asked a lot of questions about writing, mostly because I do not write enough publically. Most people I know in person do not even know that I like to write, and are surprised to learn I have a blog. In their defense, I am an introvert, so those people do not know much about me at all. What I like is when someone asks me if they can read something I’ve written; it shows that they are actually interested. It is even better when they start asking questions about my characters and plots, though few people have ventured that far.

 The questions I dislike the most are the ones I ask myself. Why am I still trying to write? What’s the point? Isn’t it about time I just quit? I may have been taking a long extended break from writing, but it is not entirely by choice. My current life circumstances have created a roadblock that has proven itself quite difficult to bypass. No matter what, though, as long as I have stories within me that are left unwritten, I could never quit writing entirely. I cannot let the negative thoughts in my head cause me to give up completely. I’ve been reading Chrys Fey’s series of posts on writer’s burnout, and I think I’m experiencing something similar to that. It’s about time I take steps to rekindle the flame. I normally do not make New Year’s resolutions, but this year one of my goals is to move writing up on my priority list. It has been pushed aside for far too long.

I wish each of you a prosperous year in writing and other creative outlets you pursue! Happy 2019!

IWSG: My Writing Space

Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.

The question for December is: What are five objects we'd find in your writing space?

Well, let me look around. Usually, I have my computer where I do the majority of my work. Then, there will be at least one notebook to read through or take down notes on my various writing projects. Since I sometimes write out my first drafts by hand, I might also have a composition notebook nearby. Then, my phone will be there with more notes or summaries of my ideas, and I also use it as my dictionary and thesaurus (and occasional distraction). The majority of the time (including right now), I will have a cat in my lap as I’m typing. Finally, there will be some kind of drink, most likely coffee if it is any time before sunset, and in the evenings I’ll have water, juice, or tea. It’s a simple set up and I like it that way.

Congratulations to all of you that won NaNoWriMo! I had a lot going on in November and was unable to participate. Honestly, my writing is still sitting in the backseat while I try to figure out other things in my life. I think about it often: all those ideas just waiting to make themselves known in written form. I am trying to find a way to fit it into the disorganization and stress of my life. But, I think what I really need to do is get some of that mess out of the way first, and I did work on some of that last month. Maybe by the New Year I can find a tiny window for writing.

In case I don’t make it back here before then, I hope all of you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

IWSG: Memories of Writing

Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts on the first Wednesday of the month.

The IWSG question for November is: How has your creativity in life evolved since you began writing?

That is a good question! It is fun to take a walk down memory lane through my writing history. This is one of those moments when I wish I still had my first stories I wrote in 6^th grade. I cannot remember what they were like, but I know that my imagination ran wild when I was a child. I had a lot of ideas in my head before I started writing, and I still remember some of the worlds I would pretend to be in when I played. I have some of my high school diary entries, which do not include a lot of creative writing, unless you count the number of ways I fantasized about “accidentally” bumping into my crushes. I have a couple cute stories I wrote for my 11^th grade English class. They lack details, but I included some interesting ideas.

 In college, most of my writing was for assignments and tests. A couple of my professors applauded my writing skills, but I’m assuming they were referring to my grammar, because most of my chapter reviews or summaries were complete BS. After rereading some of my homework, I never realized I was so talented at making it sound like I actually read the textbook. Beyond required writing, I wrote a lot of emails during those years, since I was away from my friends.

The most consistent writing I have done over time has been keeping a diary or journal. It seems I have matured in how I approach my journaling. I use it to work through my emotions, to write out prayers, or just to get all of my thoughts out of my head. Sometimes journaling inspires me to work on my fiction stories or poetry. It also inspired some of my past blog posts. I started this blog in 2010, and I actually enjoy reading many of my old posts. I used to think that I’ve lost some of my creative ability, but I think my real problem is that I have been more distracted in recent months than I was eight years ago. My focus has been off of writing. I still add ideas to my list, but I have not actually sat down to work on those ideas. My most creative writing pursuits of the last two years have been my WEP entries and a fantasy story I occasionally work on.

I have found other creative pursuits. From time to time I work on craft and sewing projects. My biggest pursuit lately has been photography. I have always enjoyed pictures, and after getting myself addicted to Instagram about a year ago, my picture taking has increased exponentially. I feel that photography is in a similar plane to writing, because it’s another way of expressing oneself. Also, my pictures make me want to write more – to write about the feelings and experiences behind the photos. 

IWSG: October 2018

Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts on the first Wednesday of the month.

I feel as though my months have been going up and down with writing. One day, I feel motivated and actually write things, and the next day, my creativity seems to be lost. I really do not know what happened to September. It came in quickly and was gone before I even looked up. I guess I had a lot going on my days off. I sincerely apologize to those who I did not visit back last month. I try to do most of my blog visits on my days off, because I’ve been burnt out with my job and do not have the mental/social energy on work days. I had the first Thursday of September off, but I had to take my mom to the doctor and we ended up shopping all day afterwards. By the following week, I felt guilty and it seemed like it was “too late” for IWSG visits. I'll be honest that one of my biggest insecurities is my lack of correspondence skills. Combine that with years of procrastination experience, and I certainly am a well of insecurity, although sometimes I won’t realize it until tomorrow. ;)

The question for October is How do major life events affect your writing? Has writing ever helped you through something?

It depends on the event. If it is something really happy and exciting, my writing will be in short and sweet bursts. I’ll write sentence-long descriptions to remind myself of the moment later. I do not write a lot as those types of events occur, but I do sometimes (not as often as I would like) reflect back on what happened and write afterwards. Exciting events, such as my vacations to London and Florida, inspire most of my creative visuals of worlds and characters. When sad things happen, I tend to write during the events. This relates to the second part of this month’s question, because I write to help work through all the depressed and confused emotions I may be feeling. Most of my nonfictional writing (devotions, prayers, and journaling) and some poetry is written during sad or disappointing times. I have a lot of those nonfictional writings I wish I could utilize, but they require quite of bit of revisions in order to make them presentable. Maybe instead of starting a new journal entry, I should rewrite something during my next disappointing moment.

IWSG: A Better Month

Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.

Thank you all for the encouragement last month! I was really down and discouraged when I wrote that post, plus I had procrastinated and wrote it late the night before post day. I was tired and frustrated, and the blogging community swooped in and made me feel better. Thank you! August was a better month overall. I participated in the WEP, which helped get me back in a better writing flow. I started working on an idea for the IWSG Anthology Contest, although I’m not yet sure if I can pull it together into a decent story. It is nice to feel inspired to write again, but I’m still working on balancing my energy to make time for it.

This month, the optional question is: What publishing path are you considering/did you take, and why? That is a question I ask myself quite often. I realize that I do not have anything ready to be published, but that it still something to consider now, so I can be ready once I get to that part of the writing journey. I have heard pros and cons of both self-publishing and using a publisher. I think that starting off, I would be better off with a publisher to help get my name out there. I would still consider self-publishing. It depends on what I end up writing first, it could be a novel, a collection of poems or short stories, or a book of devotionals. I do hope to get at least one of those unfinished ideas published someday. 

Happy September, everyone!

WEP: Change of Heart

            For the August challenge, the WEP (Write...Edit...Publish) is collaborating with the Insecure Writer's Support Group. I decided to take a different approach and wrote a monologue. I should give credit to my brother for suggesting this idea, because I probably would not have participated otherwise. My monologue is short, but I like how it fits with the Change of Heart theme. It was another interesting writing experience, and I hope you enjoy.

The Dilemma

In or out?

Why must I always be faced with such a decision?

This opportunity does not present itself very often,

And I feel so pressured to make a choice.

I could enjoy the pleasures of staying in,

But then I’ll constantly wonder what’s going on out there.

In here, I feel safe and warm,

I know exactly the best area to make myself comfortable,

And I have all the accommodations I could hope for.

On the other hand, out there I can find excitement and adventure;

There’s so much to explore, and so much to do and see.

If only my demands could be met immediately,

And I can get out when I need to.

But I am forced to decide my fate based on the whims and fancies of others.

Who do they think they are, anyway?

They go out whenever they please,

Sometimes without even asking me what I want to do.

I tell you I am sick and tired of it all!

Oh no! The door is about to close!

This opportunity is about to pass me by.

I must go out! Now!

Hello, world outside the door!

The door…

The door has been closed behind me.

No, wait! I wasn’t ready!

I had a change of heart,

I don’t want to be out here anymore.

Please let me back in,

This was a mistake!

Come back, my human!

---

Word count: 232, FCA

IWSG: Maximum Insecurity

Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.

The main insecurity that I dealt with in July applies to my current job situation, and though other factors come into play, this definitely affects my writing, or lack thereof. I feel as though my job is this enormous obstacle that stands in the way of most of the things I want to do. I’m especially reminded of this during the summer months when there are so many activities going on with my church and among my friends, and I only get to participate in a fraction because of work. I have hinted before that I would like to quit my job and write full time, but that idea somewhat frightens me. It seems a bit irresponsible, especially in the eyes of some people in my life. Though, my hesitancy mainly is caused by a fear of failure. What if my writing isn’t accepted anywhere? What if I’m overcome by writer’s block all the time? What if I can’t find a new job if this doesn’t work out? So many what ifs and I am not the greatest decision maker. I constantly pick stability over leaping into the unknown, and I wonder how much longer my creativity can withstand being pushed aside.

I wish I could say that I have something figured out, because this issue has been plaguing me for quite some time. At least I can say that I have done some writing the past few months, mostly journaling and prayers. I try to remind myself to squeeze it in during less stressful and less distracting moments. To end on a more positive note, I found a few encouraging quotes:

IWSG: Place Generic Title Here

Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.

May was a rough month for me. My dad had surgery to remove cancer from his prostate on May 4, and then ended up in the hospital for an extra week due to various issues. So, for eight out of the ten days he was there, I was driving back and forth with my mom, who can’t drive herself, to the hospital (70 miles away from home). By the grace of God and the prayers of many friends from church, we survived that ordeal. It was a relief to finally get settled back at home, but half the month was gone and I was exhausted. Going back to work after all that was very difficult for me, especially since there have been some changes with staff and scheduling the last few weeks. Needless to say, writing was not on the agenda last month. Although, I did write a rather lengthy letter to a friend, but I have not sent it yet because I felt like it needed some editing. So, it’s good to know my writer's brain is still working.☺

Sorry that I don’t have much to say related to writing; I’ve been too tired to be insecure. I do have some thoughts on the optional question this month, which is: What's harder for you to come up with, book titles or character names?

Without a doubt, titles are my weakness. I usually struggle with finding titles for my blog posts and short stories. I don’t even like the title of this blog, but after all these years, I can’t seem to come up with anything to change it to! That’s why I just use my name for my Facebook page and Twitter. I probably overthink it. I feel like the title needs to be something all-encompassing, witty, and meaningful, all in a handful of words. Most of the time, when I spend too long thinking about it, I end up giving up and picking something that feels generic. There are only a few titles I’ve used that I thought were clever, and the rest were rather lame. Character names are a bit easier. I sometimes have trouble initially, but I usually find a name that works. I feel like most of my characters embody their names very well. 

May IWSG

Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.

The question for May 2 is: It's spring! Does this season inspire you to write more than others, or not?

            My answer is no, not really. I have a harder time concentrating in the warmer months during spring and summer. There seem to be more distractions and I cannot sit still for more than ten minutes at a time. In the winter, or other cold days, it is easier for me to stay still and focus on one thing for a while. I enjoy a warm blanket and a cat on my lap (which, in my opinion, is one of the most comfortable writing positions) as I write, and that does not work very well once it starts getting warmer. I do tend to gather more ideas during spring and summer. I usually try to keep a notebook, or at least my iPhone notes, on hand to take down any interesting interactions I observe as people and animals take part in various outdoor activities.

            Spring also tends to put me in a spring cleaning mode, which adds to my lack of concentration because I’m constantly going over my to-do list in my head. Really, it seems that spring and summer are busier because there are more activities going on as people find their way back outside. Personally, I enjoy the outdoors better in the winter when there are fewer bugs and a chance of snow. I guess I’m getting a bit off-topic discussing my weather preferences. Back to my writing, I cannot believe April is already over! I don’t know where it went. I think I spent most of the month (when I wasn’t stuck at work) reading, listening to audiobooks, or working on online courses. So, that counts as writing research, right? 😉

IWSG: Ups and Downs in Writing

Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.

The question for April is: When your writing life is a bit cloudy or filled with rain, what do you do to dig down and keep on writing?

            I went through a lot of cloudy days with my writing (also in other areas of my life) in 2017. I had a few better months from December to February, but the momentum has been fading again. What has worked for me before is signing up for something fun or challenging (or both) with a deadline or specific post date. I’ve done blog hops, the A to Z Challenge, the IWSG Anthology Contest, and most recently, the W.E.P. Challenge. I have enjoyed every single one of those writing experiences, and I hope to continue participating in more contests, blog hops, and challenges. As you can see, I’m skipping the A to Z again this year. As fun as it is, it is very difficult to keep up with my fellow bloggers throughout the challenge. I do hope to utilize some of my A to Z ideas at some point in the future, but this was not the year for me.

Anyway, looking back at my answer to the IWSG question, deadlines usually help me actually do things. As funny as that sounds, it has been true for me most of my adult life. I am not very good at sticking to my goals unless there is an outside force that holds me accountable. I have started a number of email and video courses (i.e. Reedsy or The Great Courses) and I have not finished one of them, but when I took college classes, I finished my work because I was held accountable by my professors and grades. For better or worse, I also tend to thrive as a procrastinator. I have probably written more words the week before something was due than I have at any other time in my life.

A problem I have with this method of writing motivation is getting myself to sign up in the first place. I am still working on balancing out my schedule and energy levels, and sometimes I have to take shelter from the rain and storms for a while. Sometimes, I do have force some writing out of myself, whether I feel like it or not. That is part of the reason I participate in the monthly IWSG posts. It is a great way to hold myself accountable, reflect on my writing, and check on how the balancing act is going each month.

IWSG: Break or Flow

Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.

The question for March 7 is: How do you celebrate when you achieve a writing goal/ finish a story?

I suppose it depends on whether or not the writing project had a deadline. If I’m working to get something finished in time, I will usually procrastinate and then exhaust myself. Like when I participated in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge and I was writing posts the night before (I do not recommend that method if you are thinking of participating this year). Or when I wrote most of my 3000+ word fantasy story in two weeks for the IWSG anthology contest in 2016. When I procrastinate my writing, no matter how much I may have enjoyed the process, I usually celebrate with a break from writing. When I was not working my day job, I watched too much Netflix, listened to music, played hours of video games, and spent time reading during these extended breaks. The problem with this is that I often have a hard time getting back into writing after the break.

Something that has worked far better for my writing is when I get into a writing flow. If I write regularly enough, I find that it is a lot easier to come up with ideas for stories. It does feel good when the ideas are streaming through my head faster than I can write them down. That is what happened with my most recent accomplishment. I participated in last month’s Write…Edit…Publish Challenge and shared a flash fiction story on my blog for the first time. (You can read it by clicking here). Even though it is only published on my blog, it was still nice to share something new, and the wonderful comments people had were thoughtful and encouraging. I am glad that I participated and I’m hoping to get an idea going for the next one. Writing things like that actually inspire me to celebrate by writing more, which is a better way to celebrate by far.

Along the lines of inspiration, I have been particularly inspired by a piece of music a few times this month. It is the 2^nd Movement of Beethoven’s 7^th Symphony in A Major. I would definitely put this on my top ten classical music pieces list if I had one. I hope it helps inspire your writing as well if you choose to listen. 

Here's the direct link if the embedded video does not work: https://youtu.be/J12zprD7V1k 

Isn't Leonard Bernstein an amazing conductor?

February IWSG

                  

      Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.

            On Saturday, I was catching up on email and was surprised to find my picture in the IWSG email newsletter. There was a little blurb about me in the member spotlight box and some encouraging words. It makes me feel special and slightly humbled to be included there. Thank you, admins, for the reminder to not give up!

Here’s the question IWSG posed for February 7: What do you love about the genre you write in most often?

In fiction, I have been experimenting with a handful of different genres. So, I would say that I write nonfiction most often. Particularly, I tend to write a lot of reflections and what I hope are inspirational posts. Something I like the most about this style of writing, even in personal journaling, is to use metaphors. I tend to think in abstracts and sometimes a feeling or a concept can be hard to describe without some sort of example. I enjoy coming up with concrete ways to explain some of those ideas and thoughts swirling in my head. When I word it that way, I might as well just say that I enjoy the art of writing. :)

IWSG: Plan? What Plan?

Happy New Year! It’s time for the first post of 2018 with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh, and we share our posts on the first Wednesday of the month. We are given an optional question to answer each month, and this is the question for January:

What steps have you taken to put a schedule in place for your writing and publishing?

            That is a very convicting question. What steps have I taken? What plans have I made for writing? I certainly did not have a schedule or plans in place last year, and I haven’t gotten very far with my writing. I’ll be honest, there are many moments when I don’t feel like much of a writer at all. I rarely have the energy or the patience to sit down and write most days. As an introvert working in an extroverted environment, I usually feel so drained at the end of each day. I can’t concentrate. I can’t recall my ideas. I can’t write. Believe me, I have contemplated quitting my job and diving into an entrepreneurial lifestyle many, many times. I stay because I’m scared of losing my financial security. Other part-time writers somehow manage to balance their time, and I do not know how they do it. I have tried different methods and nothing seems to stick, except journaling. I do tend to write out my thoughts, prayers, and feelings on a regular basis. The problem is that those journal writings are deeply personal, and I’m not comfortable sharing most of them. But, at least I have been getting some writing done.

            As the New Year was approaching, I was thinking about my current works in progress. My “quiet book” is still on hold right now. I have a handful of short stories that I have started, and one story I would like to fix up. I also have some non-fiction writing and poetry I could work on. It’s not the ideas that I’m lacking. It’s more of a lack of motivation to sort through it all and get those ideas in a presentable form. What are some methods you use to motivate yourself when you lack the energy to write?

“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.” –Neil Gaiman

“If you have other things in your life—family, friends, good productive day work—these can interact with your writing and the sum will be all the richer.” – David Brin

IWSG: Reflections on the Year

           

            This is my post for the December 6th IWSG Day. I am posting early because I will be taking a trip to London next week! The Insecure Writer’s Support Group was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh for writers to share their insecurities and encourage one another. We are given an optional question to answer each month, and here is the question for December 6:

As you look back on 2017, with all its successes and failures, if you could backtrack, what would you do differently?

            I could discuss other areas where I have reached my goals, but this post is meant to specifically address writing. I would have to say that as far as writing goes, 2017 was not the best year for me. I nearly abandoned my blog and followers a couple times (sorry guys!), I did not participate in the IWSG Anthology contest this year, and I did not listen to my own recommendation to discipline myself and write every day. As for NaNoWriMo, I will probably fall somewhere between 3000 and 4000 words by the end of the day. I was not aiming for 50,000, nor was I working on a novel, but I did hope to get a little more written. I guess I had some distractions this month, including London planning, so I’m not entirely disappointed with the results. It will make it easier to beat next year! I had fun with the little projects I was working on with NaNo, so it was a good experience.

            If I could backtrack, I would probably not only say I want to be more disciplined in my writing, but I would also take the time to plan out writing sessions and stick to them. I’d put my words into action instead of just thinking about it all the time. I would have planned time for my blog posts and visits instead of handling my blog with the casual disregard I’ve had most of this year. There are probably many other moments when I could have been writing this year, and I will need to work on those things that I allow to divert my attention in the year to come.

            Congrats to the NaNo winners out there! You have accomplished a great feat! 

Now it's time to finish packing!

IWSG: The Write Time

            Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.

            I keep meaning to do an update post, and the next thing you know another month has gone by. I find myself constantly caught up in other things or just downright tired. I have bits and pieces of writing that I have done over the past few months, but nothing substantial. I even started a mystery/crime short story for the IWSG anthology contest, but then I decided that I am completely terrible at writing mystery/crime and probably have to read more in that genre beyond Sherlock Holmes.

            The optional question for this month is: Win or not, do you usually finish your NaNo project? Have any of them gone on to be published?

For my non-writer friends and those who are new to the online writing community, I was in your shoes two years ago asking “What is NaNo?” NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month and it takes place in November. In order to “win” you must write 50,000 words of your novel. When I first heard about it I knew that I would eventually make an attempt at participating. Last year I was not ready, and I’m not ready this year either, but I did set up an account under a pen name. I have some other projects and preparations to work on this month, so attempting to win NaNo would not be an obtainable goal. I have decided to use this month to work on getting into a better writing habit, and the word count feature is nice to see how much I get written. I’m probably not going to work on one single novel. I have a few ideas for some short stories that I would like to work on and other bits and pieces I’d like to dive into. According to the forums on the site, I would be classified as a NaNo rebel since I'm working on multiple pieces, which is fine with me :)

For those who are in it to win it or at least making an effort to finish a novel, I commend you. Happy writing!