Welcome to another year of monthly posts with Insecure Writer's Support Group! If you're new to writing or blogging, this is a great community to network with which spans across writing genres. Check out the IWSG Facebook group and IWSG website. Today the site is announcing the winners of their anthology contest.
I posted about last year's and this year's writing goals on Monday. Today, another new development I'll be a part of is the Writing With Mentors group blog started by writers involved with Pitch Wars. The blog debuts today and will feature twice weekly posts on writing and the publishing business. I hope you stop by and take a look!
Which brings me to this quote:
Any success I've had so far in my writing career, I owe in part to those who've offered help and support. I somewhat blindly navigated my way through query writing and pitch contests and found an agent fairly quickly. But what to do then? Each step forward in publishing leads to more questions and uncertainty. Sometimes I wonder, how did I get here? People are asking ME for writing advice? When does it feel real, like I actually know what I'm doing?
Maybe never?
I'm so thankful for the many blogs and twitter chats and Facebook groups I've read through and joined where writers shared whatever scrap of knowledge they knew. Even linking to a website of writing articles for me was a huge deal when I knew nothing. Now I look back and think, well I might know a *few* things. :)
What's a step you've taken with your writing that you're proud of?
Make sure to visit the blog hop list and check out a selection of participating blogs to meet new writers!
Posts
Yay! What an exciting new adventure for you and readers. This really is a business of learning as you go, eh? Here's to fumbling on our way and finding success!
ReplyDeleteYes! Fumbling is one word for it. Every writer's journey is so different. Thanks for stopping by, Crystal.
DeleteI like Anne Lamott. Her quote is so true.
ReplyDeleteSame. I haven't read her in awhile, but a lot of her writing has stuck with me.
DeleteI agree; learning through example is the best way to soak it in. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
Geez... probably joining this group. Struggling alone was difficult. Struggling with others makes it no-so scary. I think this journey is a one step at a time sort of thing. As long as you keep moving in the right direction, you're doing it!
ReplyDeleteHappy new year!
C.G.
True! I found a lot of blogs through this group several years ago. I'm not on blogs as much, but I've made some lasting connections and love the Facebook group.
DeleteThankfully I learned a long time ago to listen to others that have been there done that. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteI've had a few moments of pride. WWM sounds like a great site, Steph. I'll definitely check it out. There can't be enough resources online for writers. I can actually remember back in the day when there were few if any. We've come a long way!
ReplyDeleteI remember wanting to write a book but having no idea how. Now if I ever want to do something, I google it. I don't know why I didn't think to start that way. I think the task of writing a novel was so daunting, I didn't know what to type in for a search!
DeleteI know what you mean. People ask me for advice and I still feel like I'm a beginner. :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on being part of such an awesome blog!
Glad to know that no matter how successful you become you still feel like you don't know what you're doing. :-)
ReplyDeleteMy big step was self-publishing a book just to get my foot it in the door and get a feel for it. It was not the be all and end all of my writerly life. It was just the first step into a much larger world...
IWSG January
Congrats! I wrote on your blog it was a wonderful step and you said you weren't sure wonderful. I maintain it is! Think how many people say they "have a book in them" and never go further than that.
DeleteThat's a great quote! Looking forward to checking out the new group blog.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on being part of the new blog group! That's a great way to start the new year. I'm a writing mentor for First Five Pages under Adventures in YA Publishing and I have to tell you it is one of the most rewarding elements of my writing life. The people are fabulous and there are so many talented writers out there. Good for you! Wishing you all the best during 2016!
ReplyDeleteWhat a coincidence--I'm also a mentor with First Five Pages! I was added in last summer. I'm sure we'll cross paths again :)
DeleteHi Stephanie! I knew that about you being a FFP mentor, too. Being a co-host yesterday, I commented on so many blogs my head was spinning. I hope it's okay to answer the question you left on my blog here. I couldn't find your email. No, I didn't use a Wordpress theme for my new site. Actually, I designed it myself through Wix, and I changed Writer's Alley (blog) to match as a companion. It wasn't hard to do through Wix, just time-consuming. I searched for a few butterflies, purchased them, and then designed my banner using Gimp. If you have anymore questions feel free to email me.
DeleteCool about the new site.
ReplyDeleteHey, that slogan fits every aspect of my writing career!
Something I'm really glad I've done is to be proactive about making friends with writers. Having writer friends who get it make it easier for me to deal with non-writers who don't get it.
ReplyDeleteI'll check out the new blog!
Thanks! I agree. My family is super supportive about my writing, but talking finer details with other writers is so valuable.
DeleteAnne Lamott is one of my fav writers. Her advice is so down to earth. Groups like this bolster us, support us, celebrate our successes. Yay, us! Best wishes for a great 2016.
ReplyDeleteI practically squeeee over every new thing I learn. But I know there is so much more to learn. I'll check out the mentors site, thanks.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it the best when you find advice that makes so much sense? And makes an aspect of writing easier? (maybe not easy but enlightened!)
DeleteHa, this reminds me of a quote I saw the other day along the lines of "I was looking around for an adult and then I realised I was the adult!!"
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog, I answered your question about the cats (basically - don't be blindly optimistic like I was!)
Haha, yes. Or looking for someone to take charge or lead and you realize you are the person.
DeleteThat's a great quote from Lamott :-)
ReplyDeleteThe best thing I did for myself was finding and joining a great critique group. It made me produce on a schedule, and to hold high expectations for myself and my work.
It's 2016, the year your book will be released! Congratulations! I am so thankful to all of the writer friends I have and especially this group. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThe Anne Lamott quote is spot on! Another way of phrasing it is "fake it till you make it!"
ReplyDeleteA step I've taken that I'm proud of, was writing a short story in another genre. I didn't even know the popular fairy tale that I reconstructed, was a story in the urban fantasy genre. LOL
Happy New Year!