Insecure Writer’s Support Group Day and Writing Distractions
It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Let's visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.
Special thanks go to the co-hosts for the May 1 posting of the IWSG are Victoria Marie Lees, Kim Lajevardi, Nancy Gideon, and Cathrina Constantine!
May 1 question - How do you deal with distractions when you are writing? Do they derail you?
What a great question for this month. Especially for May . . . spring flowers, warmer weather, green grass, the sound of lawnmowers, and finally, perhaps, leaving winter behind (though I did see snow on the ground last week).
I had a BIG distraction in March, and, yes, it derailed me. I was unable to write, really plunged to the bottom of a well of self-doubt. Certain things that shall remain unnamed conspired to force me to look again at my childhood, memories I did not want to revisit. April began and I challenged myself. Even though I did not believe I could do it, I set a goal of writing 4,000 words on my current wip, a police procedural. I also agreed to run two writing workshops at the end of April.
What is commitment, after all? That promise we make to ourselves, that hope that somehow we can bring about change, positive change. So, I signed up for NaNoWriMo's April Writing Challenge. Each day became a little easier. By the middle of the month, I was writing again and enjoying the whole process of telling my story. Affirmations! By April 30, I wrote 8,109 words.
And those two workshops, a part of 4 free workshops for a small group of writers sponsored by our local library and the Inland Northwest Writer's Guild, were simply wonderful. I learned so much from the writers who shared their works as we dug into genres, themes, characters, conflict, and settings.
Was there more? Yes. Colin Conway, an excellent and prolific writer of police procedurals, taught a workshop on branding. Everyone stayed. I was entranced at his discussion of how we writers can better market ourselves to reach those readers who care about what stories we tell. I'm hoping to begin to make changes . . . starting with the blog AND my newsletter.
So, if YOU haven't signed up for my newsletter and want to see more, go ahead. Sign up by filling out the box on the right hand side of this blog. If you have any trouble, just drop me a line at bluebethley@yahoo.com
What you can expect in the newsletter? More about writing -- my own writing, what goes on behind the scenes with characters, plot twists, and more. And a little more about what you want to know! Send me those questions. I truly want to hear from you!
Click on this link to see what other IWSG writers are up to this month: Insecure Writing Support Group,
May spring be very special for us all -- with few distractions!
You doubled your writing goal - that's awesome! April was much better for you.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Yes, it was. May it be so for all of us.
DeleteI'm glad you got through your March challenges and got back into your writing groove in April.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Natalie, that was pretty much of a big relief!
DeleteYou accomplished a lot in April, Beth! I'm glad that you got back on track after March. Take care and keep writing!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Fundy Blue. I'm truly grateful every day for the space and energy to write. May you also find joy in the coming month.
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DeleteHi, Beth, I missed you and checked the list but didn't see you. Now I've found you. I am glad you made progress at the NaNo and look forward to seeing how you're going to change up your blog site.
ReplyDeleteWishing you all the best. Shalom shalom
Hello, Pat. Thank you for your perseverance. I used to be #66 at IWSG but somehow dropped to #101, perhaps because I missed a month because of being sick. So good to hear from you! Shalom right back to you.
DeleteI haven't done Nano for a few years. My new writing style- slow and hopefully steady- doesn't work with Nano demands.
ReplyDeleteThis April, NaNo had us set our own goals. It was enough for me to somehow make my way back to that slow and steady pace of writing. Perseverance furthers. May your writing bring you many words!
DeleteGlad you were able to challenge yourself and joined Nano to help you through a tough time. Congratulations on an awesome word count! Love the picture.
ReplyDeleteThank YOU for stopping by! Looking forward to seeing what you've done this last month AND for more changes (and more words) ahead for both of us!
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