#IWSG – Try, Try Again

The Insecure Writers Support Group  is 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 awesome co-hosts for the June 1 posting of the IWSG will be Murees Dupe, Alexia Chamberlynn, Chemist Ken, and Heather Gardner! If you’d like to join in, just click the link above for the IWSG sign-up!

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Last month was a bloody nightmare. Have you ever felt like the Universe is conspiring against you? Well, May felt like that for me. I was plagued by illness for half of the month – one whole week was just wretched. Then I had ‘net issues off and on all month (more to come this month as the IP is doing upgrades). And lastly, I didn’t complete the StoryADay challenge (I missed a whole week while horribly sick and just never caught up).

I could do what I’ve done so often – tell myself that I am a failure and go sulk in a corner for a few weeks, but I’ve decided that I am worth more than that. I am proud that I wrote 24 stories in May, plus did a lot of other writings too. I am also proud that although I was sick for about 15 days, I muddled through for 8 of those days even though I was getting sick and/or just recovering from being sick. So I will try, try again and not beat myself up.

And that’s the best advice I can give to other writers right now – try again. Failure means falling down and staying down. Success means to learn from the failure, pick yourself up and hit the road again.

#IWSG – Embracing the Familiar

The Insecure Writers Support Group  is 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 awesome co-hosts for the April 6 posting of the IWSG will be Megan Morgan, Chris Votey, Viola Fury, Christine Rains, Madeline Mora-Summonte, L.G. Keltner, Rachna Chhabria, and Patricia Lynne! If you’d like to join in, just click the link above for the IWSG sign-up!

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Last month at this time, I was feeling all insecure and riddle with anxiety as I embarked upon a long writing project, namely my 31 day Noir-style WhoDunIt serial, The Stacked Deck. I’d only written one other lengthy project before, and I wasn’t sure I would survive the whole month and keep the story interesting. I am pleased to announce that not only did I complete the 31 parts, but I gained some lovely readers in the process who kept me going ’til the end.

This month, I am embracing some familiar territory – the world of Science Fiction. This is the genre that I most enjoy reading and writing. I’ve joined the A2Z Challenge and tasked myself to write 26 prompted flash fiction pieces. I am feeling pretty good about these.

The best advice I can give to anyone out there, after that harrowing month of March, is to step outside of your comfort zone once in a while and try something new. Not only does it challenge you as a writer, but it also frees up your mind so that when you do come back to the familiar, you are refreshed, renewed and ready to go at it again.

Day 4 – 30 Day Challenge

a bit late, but here it is…

List 10 things you would tell your 16 year old self, if you could.

1. When your Creative Writing teacher tells you that you will never be a writer, laugh in her face and tell her “You just watch me!” You will feel so much better about yourself 30 yrs later.

2. In two years, your sister is going to bring a guy around who was supposed to be a date for your joint friend, Sandy. She turned the date down. Your sister is going to beg you to go out with him. Tell her definitively NO!

3. You are going to waste a lot of time on religion. Cut to the chase early and just follow nature. Don’t question it; just do it.

4. In a year you will begin college. Take what you want to take regardless of what your parents tell you. You will give yourself a 6 year jump start on your writing career.

5. Forget about guys… you don’t need anyone to validate you.

6. On Class Night, your oh-so-loving graduating class will hand you a picture of a guy you had a mild crush on when you were 11. Toss it out into the audience and say “Damn! I was hoping it was a girl!” They wouldn’t understand the whole Bi-thing, but at least you would have the last shock.

7. Do not ever get married! Not once or twice… stay single. You learn to love your peace and quiet and alone time and being married will just screw you up and land you in the insane asylum. 

8. Enjoy life… I mean, really enjoy it. Do not allow yourself to get holed up in some dark dungeon and never experience the things that you want to experience.

9. Travel! Just get on a bus, train or plane and go!

10. Be fearless! Educate yourself thoroughly and do not be afraid to ask questions. Challenge authority!