Category: IWSG

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This post is part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop. The first Wednesday of every month is Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. The awesome co-hosts for the November 7 posting of the IWSG are Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor, Ann V. Friend, JQ Rose, and Elizabeth Seckman!

November is here! I can’t believe this year is almost over and the holidays are just around the corner. My son’s birthday is also at the end of November so it’s always a jam-packed couple of months for me. The leaves are finally changing in full force here and it FEELS like fall at last. I love fall!

Hmm, what am I insecure about this month?

Not so much insecure as nervous, really–I just sank a lot of promotional and advertising money into my latest release. Mostly, because this is the first time in my official writing career (I realize it’s not even been 4 years since the release of my first book and that boggles my mind–it seems like longer!) that I’ve been in a financial position to do so. I’m not sure what will happen. Maybe it won’t matter a lick and it’ll be wasted money, and I’ll have learned a lesson. I don’t expect to be catapulted into bestseller status or anything, but I’d like to see some return. I guess we’ll see how it turns out!

Plus, I’m terrible at self-promotion and it suits me to pay someone else to do it. Not to mention the people I’m paying have access to promotional avenues that I don’t. At least, at the end of the day, I can feel like I spent my money on something useful instead of buying something frivolous with it. 😀 Right? Right?!

November 7 question – How has your creativity in life evolved since you began writing?

I’ve always been a writer, since I was a teenager, so I don’t think my creativity in other areas has changed much. It’s always been part of who I am. I think (or hope) I’m a much BETTER writer now and I understand the process a lot more, and that tends to affect how I look at writing. I’m not creatively talented otherwise. I can’t draw, or paint, or play an instrument, or sing, or act. I’m kind of a creative one trick pony. But I think I’ve gotten much better over the years at coming up with stories and figuring out how to implement them.
How are you doing this month? Anything new in the works?
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This post is part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop. The first Wednesday of every month is Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. The awesome co-hosts for the October 3 posting of the IWSG are Dolorah @ Book Lover, Christopher D. Votey, Tanya Miranda, and Chemist Ken!

October is here! The spookiest time of the year, if you dig Halloween–which I do! Being mostly a paranormal author I’m always into the scary things, and this time of year is my treat. I’m participating in several Halloween-themed promotions this month but for right now: let the jack o’ lanterns be carved! Let the ghosts rattle their chains! Let the black cats howl!

Speaking of that, I’m going to share a video at the end of the post. I don’t have a lot of insecurities this month that aren’t just me rehashing my same old, same old issues, so I’m going to give you some Halloween yummies instead.

October 3 question – How do major life events affect your writing? Has writing ever helped you through something?

I try to hold on to writing no matter what upheaval affects my life–from the small to the large. Writing keeps me sane. I’ve been through a divorce, moving cities, breakups, job changes, moving house, illnesses, and every life change you can imagine–and still, I write. It’s the one constant. I think without it, I would go insane and not know my identity. Knowing I can always come back to the page makes everything better. Though sometimes it gets hard to write, in the end, I always come back to it. I have to. It’s who I am.

Happy October…and Halloween!

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This post is part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop. The first Wednesday of every month is Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. The awesome co-hosts for the September 5 posting of the IWSG are Toi Thomas, T. Powell Coltrin, M.J. Fifield, and Tara Tyler!

September has arrived! That means here in the northern hemisphere fall is just around the corner–my favorite season. It’s still pretty hot and summery here, so I’m trying not to get ahead of myself, but I can’t wait to break out the fall decor.

So, any insecurities for me as the seasons change? Why, of course! Those of you who follow me might remember I recently had another book accepted for publication–my lucky 13th! I’m working on the sequel right now and it’s an interesting writing experience. I kind of dragged my feet on it for a long time and was writing it slowly, but lately I’ve been working hard on it. My day job schedule is often erratic and cuts into my writing time, so I’m snatching time here and there where I can. Which means I go a couple of days without writing anything and then binge-write 5,000 words at a time. So far, it seems to be working for me. Even though I have the story kind of plotted out I’m surprising myself with where the emotional twists and turns are happening.

But, what if my fire dies out?! What if I get into another slump like my job was putting me in this summer? I really want to keep up the momentum on this series. I want to work on my OTHER series too and get the next book in that one out. Often I paralyze myself by thinking about all the things I want to do–and then not doing any of them.

Why did I become a writer again?

September 5 question – What publishing path are you considering/did you take, and why?

I went the traditional route, though I did self-publish two books just to see what it was like. I probably didn’t do things the way most self-published people do, because I didn’t spend any money on publishing them outside of the stock photos I bought for the covers. I’m blessed that I have graphic design skills and could do my own. I’m also a pretty damn good self-editor. The books have sold well and gotten some rave reviews so…I guess I did good?

The thing is though, I don’t think I’d do it again (apart from self-pubbing the last book in the series, which I’m working on). Only because while I CAN do the work to get them out in the world, I don’t WANT to. I’d rather leave it to the publishing house. Self-publishing is a job in itself and I’d rather just write and hand it to someone else to turn into a book. Am I lazy? Probably. If I was making money hand over fist self-pubbing I’d probably feel different, but I’m not.

Happy September, everyone!

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This post is part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop. The first Wednesday of every month is Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. The awesome co-hosts for the August 1 posting of the IWSG are Erika Beebe, Sandra Hoover, Susan Gourley, and Lee Lowery!

Hoo boy, this is my first post on the blog in WEEKS and I simply must apologize to my followers and readers. Offline life was wild in July. The good: I went on an AMAZING vacation to Iceland (which I will talk about in another blog post this week). The suck: my ‘day job’ has increased in hours, responsibilities, and the demand for my attention, so I’ve had a hard time being around on here even when I’m not on vacation. Real life bites, doesn’t it? Except when it nibbles.

That’s where my insecurity comes from this month, of course–all the outside demands for my attention means my writing, and certainly my blogging, is suffering. Some nights I literally come home from work, sleep, and go right back in the morning. In theory, this situation is only temporary due to various factors at work, but it leaves me no time or energy for writing right now. I can barely maintain my house and run errands let alone find time to be creative.

But, I’m going to try to fit it in, chaos be damned. Because I have fit it in, all my life, no matter what was happening. I’ve always MADE the time and I’m going to have to do that again until things get smoother. I just have to find the focus. Hey, at least I made it for the IWSG this month!

August 1 question – What pitfalls would you warn other writers to avoid on their publication journey?

One thing that took me a long time to realize is not to rush things. Though it hurts to admit, not everything you write is gold. Especially when you’re a fairly new writer. In fact, you write a lot of crap that you think is brilliant but is really, well, crap. When I was younger I tended to think I was some kind of magician with words and was quick to send all my fine masterpieces off to publishers way ahead of them actually being ready for publication–and I received an ever-growing steaming pile of rejections as a result.

Writing and perfecting a work takes time–a lot of time, and a lot of patience. And even when you do shape and mold it carefully and get it all pretty and shiny, it might still be a dud and never get published. But if us writers are anything, it’s gluttons for punishment. So try, try again!

Thank you to all my readers for sticking around during this time. I’m going to try to get more posts up this month!

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This post is part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop. The first Wednesday of every month is Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. The awesome co-hosts for the July 3 posting of the IWSG are Nicki Elson, Juneta Key, Tamara Narayan, and Patricia Lynne!

This month we’re doing the IWSG posting a day early because tomorrow is the Fourth of July here in the U.S. A time for fireworks and grilling, and…well, just mostly blowing things up. It’s insanely hot here right now too, as we have our few annual weeks of summer. I’ll be working, but I sorta volunteered for it because it’s extra money and I didn’t have any plans anyway. I get more of a kick out of listening to everyone set off fireworks in my neighborhood all night long. What are your plans, if you’re celebrating?

I’m trying to work on a new book right now but life is kind of stressing me out, so my attention has been drawn away. That makes me anxious because I’ve submitted everything I have written already, so now–I gotta write something new! And as we all know, making new stuff is the longest, hardest part of the process. Sigh, when are we going to have the technology so I can just project things from my brain onto the screen, huh?

But hey, I had a new book out last week…and that’s an accomplishment! I’m happy and proud.

July 3 question – What are your ultimate writing goals, and how have they changed over time (if at all)?

My ultimate writing goal is to make a living off writing. Not to be rich and famous necessarily (though I wouldn’t be unhappy if I was) but to make enough money off it to live comfortably. To not have to go to a day job and instead pay the bills with writing. That would be a dream–spending all day writing and making actual money off it! That’s why I write as much as I do and get anxious when I get stalled, because I know for that dream to ever come true I have to put in the work. Maybe someday I’ll have a bestseller and it will be easier.

I think this has always been my goal–when I was younger it was just to get published, now it’s to make a career out of getting published.

How about you?