#IWSG for July 2017

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is the brilliant idea of Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the group is to share doubts and insecurities and to encourage one another. Please visit the other participants and share your support. A kind word goes a long way.

This month's awesome co-hosts are: Tamara Narayan, Pat Hatt, Patricia Lynne, Juneta Key, and Doreen McGettigan!

The July IWSG Question: What is one valuable lesson you've learned since you started writing?

I've always been writing. So I can't say there's a starting point for that. Yet I haven't always been seeking publication. That I seriously started pursuing over ten years ago.

The most valuable lesson I've learned is to not be afraid to ask for help. I had been determined it was a journey which I would do everything alone. I was stubborn about it. I thought I was doing all the right research, but it wasn't enough. How lost I would have been without all the amazing people I met along the way.

I was stubborn, hesitant, and shy. What if people thought I was an idiot? What if no one offers to help? What if people do offer to help?

Learning that it was okay to ask for help was a big hurdle for me to overcome. And now I wonder why I held back!

I have awesome critique partners and beta readers, a tough and wise local critique group, a terrific promo group that shares info and support, a wonderful blogging community, and the fabulous members of the IWSG. All these people help me so much. I would not have made it this far without them.

Join the Blog Blitz team!

A great thing came to our blogging world last year. The brilliant idea of DL Hammons, the Blog Blitz is a special event that showers an unexpecting blogger with cheer and encouragement. Over 350 people have signed up on the Blitz team. Every now and then, DL will send us an email with the next recipient's URL along with a date. On that day, everyone clicks on over and leaves an encouraging comment. It's fun, quick, and easy.

It can lift them out of the gloom and give them the strength to get through. It can make them laugh, make them giggle with giddiness. It can bring tears to their eyes to see the support of the community.

It's amazing something so simple can mean so much.

DL hopes to raise the team's numbers to 500. Let's help spread the word!

To join the team, sign up on the linky list on DL's original Blitz post.

IWSG for February 2014

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is the brilliant idea of Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the group is to share doubts and insecurities and to encourage one another. Please visit the other participants and share your support. A kind word goes a long way.

When I was 18, I sent in a short story to a contest. It was quickly rejected. I didn't tell anyone I sent it or that I was rejected. After that, I couldn't find the confidence to show anyone my writing for over 15 years.

Then I met a fun group of online friends through PBeM RPGs (Play by email role-playing games). They really liked what I wrote. I did some fanfiction. They loved that even more.

With their encouragement, I submitted a short story to an ezine. It was rejected.

My friends didn't let me fall into the black hole again. I submitted another story. Then another. After 12 rejections, I had my first short story published.

A writer friend had a book accepted by a new small press. She cheered me on as I submitted a novel. It was rejected.

I submitted a second novel. They loved it! I had my first novel published.

Then The-Publisher-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named ran off with all the authors' royalties.

I felt everything I worked for was gone.

But I did gain the friendship of a wonderful group of writers with whom I still stay in contact with today.

With their support and advice, I continued submitting short stories. I have over 20 published now.

I started to blog and met even more amazing folks. I joined a local critique group and learned so much. I self-published a series of novellas which have been well received.

This year, I'm going to query two novels.

None of this would have been possible without the support and encouragement of other writers. The writing community is awesome. Never take it for granted. And never doubt the value of your kind words to another writer. They may be just what she needs to hear to give her the strength to carry on.