The Insecure Writer’s Support Group
Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post.
Remember, the question is optional!!!
June 7 Question: Did you ever say “I quit”? If so, what happened to make you come back to writing?
Did I ever say, "I quit!"? Yep. Numerous times. I think about it a lot when I get down on myself and sales are non-existent and the end of my edits seem too far away. Of course, I lose the most if I let myself quit. It would never make me happy. I'd always wonder, "What if?". So, I keep going. I keep moving forward. I keep writing.
***
Official announcement for the IWSG's next anthology!
Guidelines:
The
IWSG Guide to Writing for Profit--This
will be a non-fiction book like our Guide to Publishing and
Beyond.
What to write: Share experiences about making a profit
as an author, what it takes to become a successful writer, the many skills a
writer needs to learn other than writing, share the experience going from hobby
writer to published author (without making it a self-promotion piece), the
fallacies behind writing for profit, the little known facts learned along the
way, what you wished you knew when you first started writing, or marketing tips
based on experience of what has worked and what hasn't. Please include a title,
your name, and a link to one of your sites. Send as an attached Word file or
pasted into the email.
If
you have any questions, email us at admin AT
insecurewriterssupportgroup.
Word limit: 500-1000 words.
Submission eligibility: All members of the IWSG Blog Hop, IWSG Facebook group and/or members of our IWSG Goodreads Book Club. It's free to join any of these groups and a great benefit to be a part of these communities.
Deadline:
July 31, 2017
Send
your piece to admin AT insecurewriterssupportgroup.
The
one hundred best entries will be included in the book.
***
The IWSG Goodreads Group is in full swing and already read their first book. As a bonus, members got to ask the book’s author questions and you can read about it on Goodreads. This group is for writers only, focusing on the craft, so please join us.
The IWSG Newsletter is packed with great information and valuable links every month, so if you haven’t signed up, please do so.
And for those who don’t know it, we have an IWSG Facebook Group as well, with over 3600 members.
***
I told you! Bursting with news!
Get in on some of this action!
Writing is in your blood and through expression you probably feel alive and all the joy and pain associated with living. Thank you for co-hosting this month.
ReplyDeleteKeep moving forward, good motto!! IWSG has a lot happening!!
ReplyDeleteHeather, thank you for co-hosting this month!!
And the worst is wondering what if...
ReplyDeleteHi Heather,
ReplyDeleteIt's my first month signing up with the IWSG. Totally agree, 'what if' is a depressing thought.
The IWSG is bursting with all sorts of goodness!
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting, Heather.
We keep writing no matter what!
ReplyDeleteThat what I do too, Heather. It seems as if I am never going to finish editing my first book but I keep going, keep editing, because I know deep down inside that the editing will pass. Thank you for sharing and thank you for co-hosting this month.
ReplyDeleteShalom aleichem,
Patricia
Everything Must Change
Makes me wish I had something ready to pitch. =)
ReplyDeleteI think there was a time when I was serious about the "I quit"--right before I won a contest and landed a publisher. We need those tough times, eh?
Yay for more IWSG goodness! I couldn't quit writing either. :) Thanks for co-hosting today.
ReplyDeleteEven when it feels hopeless, we just can't give up, can we? The writing monkey is always on our backs!
ReplyDeleteI love what you said about how WE lose the most if WE quit. Excellent point!
ReplyDeleteYou never know if that next moment will be the moment if you quit. =)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure everyone here understands this post. We could all have written it. But so glad you did! Great job as Admin.
ReplyDeleteKeep on, keeping on. We are meant to tell stories. Thanks for being an IWSG co-host this month.
ReplyDeleteMary at Play off the Page
As Dory says, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming." The water can be rather thick and murky somedays though.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting! Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter Pitch parties, oh my! We are going places (IWSG:).
ReplyDeleteThat's right—I don't think it matters if we say 'I quit' so much as it matters what we do afterward.
ReplyDeleteLove how much the IWSG has going on. So great for the group!
I'm glad you never quit, Heather! If you had, we wouldn't have met, and I happen to like knowing you. xo
ReplyDeleteI think we all feel the pressure from time to time but it's clear you love it too much :)
ReplyDeleteI'm excited about the pitch event and am madly trying to get my WIP ready!
ReplyDeleteYou hit the nail on the head, Heather! (Sorry, but that cliche nails what I"m trying to say.) If I were to quit writing, I 'd wonder what if too. I don't want to have any regrets in my life--or as little as possible anyway. Thanks for the newsy post!
ReplyDeleteJQ Rose
I'm already following your blog and we're connected online.
ReplyDeleteI feel this way most days. And yes, I'd wonder if I missed something if I just flat out quit writing. You can do this. Never forget that!
Thanks for co-hosting the June question.
Thanks for co-hosting this month, Heather!
ReplyDeleteI've said it many times over the years, but it never takes. You're exactly right - I'd just miss to much if I ever stopped writing. Thanks for co-hosting this month.
ReplyDeleteYou give me hope!
ReplyDeleteThe IWSG is going from strength to strength. Great to see all these new developments. Yes, quitting is never really an option if you've got writing in your blood. Keep going!
ReplyDeleteHi Heather!! I'm super excited about the anthology AND the Twitter pitch. My company, Acorn Publishing, will be participating and looking for authors!! Can't wait :)
ReplyDeletewww.jessicatherrien.com
Being able to persevere is the first step in getting what you want. And the pitch event is such a great idea! I'm not ready to join in yet, but I will be rooting for those who do.
ReplyDeleteDarnit! I forgot about the Twitter pitch. I'll have to try to remember to do it for this time next year. Thanks for the reminder and thanks for co-hosting today!
ReplyDeleteElsie
Bursting with news for sure, Heather! "I keep going. I keep moving forward. I keep writing." That's the secret to writing. That's the secret of life. Wishing you lots of moving forward this month! Thanks for co-hosting the IWSG!
ReplyDeleteI once quit for a year. Thankfully, it was a long time ago. Early 90s!
ReplyDelete"What if" is the blood of writing, both the stories and our determination to write them.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely want to avoid the "what if." We just have to keep on writing, even if it's hard.
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting!
Good way to explain. As unhappy as some days are, quitting would never make us happy either.
ReplyDeleteYes, we would hurt ourselves by quitting. The anthology sounds fantastic!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Looking forward to participating in the anthology again. Thanks for reminding us about the Twitter pitch, and for co-hosting!
ReplyDeleteBest,
Adrienne
Thank you for co-hosting this month. Whoa! A lot going on.
ReplyDeleteI too hold on to writing many times because of that question "What if?"
Hi Heather - yes amazing news going on in the IWSG world ... I enjoy reading everyone's ideas and thoughts - and the IWSG is really expanding - congratulations to you for being involved. Give up ... I doubt it! Cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteThat nagging little voice, right? I start thinking of all the other things I could be doing (like sleeping in past 4:30 a.m.) but the truth is, the one thing I can't live without doing is writing. Thanks for co-hosting this month!
ReplyDeleteooh, lots of interesting stuff going on, thank you! :)
ReplyDeleteHeather, thanks for co-hosting this month. It has been a busy time for the IWSG and its members and followers. Phew. Deep breath! I like your thinking of "What if?" as a reason to keep going. It makes total sense and the known of trial and error will, in the end at least, be more satisfying than the unknown after an "I quit"!
ReplyDeleteYes, keep going! Ooh, a Twitter Pitch party? I'm in! I think lol. Thank you for co-hosting!
ReplyDeleteYou gave the perfect advice--keep going. It's hard sometimes. Rejections can get us down. But we keep going. Good luck and thanks for co-hosting.
ReplyDelete"What if?" is a great question to ask oneself to keep going!
ReplyDeletePowerful words "What if?" The beginning of every story, the fuel that keeps it going, and the possibility of that which keeps us writing.
ReplyDeleteGreat hosting!
Yes, IWSG has so much good going on. I'm excited for the new anthology.
ReplyDeletePondering "what ifs" can lead to stories. I like a good what if story if it comes to a good conclusion.
ReplyDeleteArlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Walking away is usually a good thing, we always come back stronger!
ReplyDeleteI'm late getting around to the IWSG posts so this is the first I've seen of the new anthology. I think its a great idea. Hope there are lots of submissions.
ReplyDeleteAs for quitting, I think most of us "quit" but really just take a much needed break to participate in our real lives for a while. Everyone deserves a break from "work".
Yeah, I'm sure I would never be happy if I were to quit writing, as well. The stories just keep formulating in my head whether I try to make them or not.
ReplyDeleteIt's really easy to get disheartened when sales or low, but I'm glad you keep going!
ReplyDeleteLynn – Nice way to put it!
ReplyDeleteCathrina – Thank you for the visit!
Alex – It truly is the worst!
Rita – Welcome to the group!
Michelle – ROCKIN’ IT!!!
Diane – No matter what!
Pat – Editing will pass. I like that. That could be a bumper sticker!
Crystal – Right? Tough times make us better.
Christine – I hear you! And so glad you didn’t!
Megan – Darn monkey!
Madeline – No one will hear our stories if we don’t keep going!
Patricia – Exactly. Exactly!!!
C. Lee – Thank you! Love the support!
Mary – It’s the truth! No matter what!
Tamara – I love that! Murky, but we can still swim!
Jennifer – We are! It’s going to be awesome!
M.J. – So happy for Alex! He’s doing great things!
J.H. – Awww….Thank you so much! I like knowing you, too!
Erika – TY – I have a love/hate relationship for sure!
Jacqui – GET TO IT!
JQ – No regrets! Let’s do this!
Victoria – We don’t want to miss a thing, right?!
Michelle – Thank you for stopping in!
Lee – It’s too important! Keep moving forward!
Donna – Thank you! I’m so glad! Let’s spread the hope!
Nick – It’s like that snowball! Look out! Here we come!
Jessica – That is awesome news! Thank you and fingers crossed for you!
Toni – Yet! I heard yet! Keep going!
Elsie – I’m sure we will be doing it again! Stay tuned!
Fundy Blue – The secret of life. Perfect! Thank you!
Joylene – And you never looked back, right? You rock!
Olga – Nice. Excellent point. TY!
Sarah –It’s always hard, but all the good things are.
Susan – No. It would never make us happy.
Natalie – I hope we get lots of entries!
Adrienne – My pleasure! I love to help!
Toinette – That’s a great reason to keep going!
Hilary – Give up? No way! Thank you for coming!
Nancy – It’s a way of life, evil, but necessary.
Angela – Absolutely! Glad you came by!
Liesbet – We hate the unknown, right? Hate it!
Deb – Yay! Let’s tweet! TY!
Diane – Thank you for coming by today!
Loni – It’s so true! Thank you!
Diedre – Possibilities all around us!
Natalie – Busy group!
Arlee – What if, keeps us all busy!
Yolanda – Breaks are necessary. That’s for sure.
Dolorah – Yes. Exactly.
Cathy – That’s a good thing! Keep formulating!
Kyra – Thank you! I’m glad I do, too!
Thanks everyone for the comments, support and the visit!
HMG