IWSG October 2018--The Reality of a Writer

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially 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. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time. Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post.

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world! Our Twitter hashtag is #IWSG

The awesome co-hosts for the October posting of the IWSG are Dolorah @ Book Lover, Christopher D. Votey, Tanya Miranda, and Chemist Ken!

I wrote my post before I read the month's question, however, I think they fit rather well in the end.

The October Question: How do major life events affect your writing? Has writing ever helped you through something?

My husband thinks of me as a dreamer. For the most part, he's right, but I'm also a realist. You have to be if you're going to answer the question of why you write honestly.

Why do you write?

I write for me.

If all the books I've published disappeared from the world today, no one would miss them. I know that for a fact. Oh, sure. My mom would miss them. Maybe my kids. My good friend Kathy who has beta read every one and given invaluable advice on all of them. Maybe a handful of people that know me personally. But the world will not miss my stories. And I'm okay with that because I didn't write them for the world.

I wrote The Magic Wakes as part of my healing process from a traumatic experience and resulting depression.

Stellar Cloud is a collection of blog fest pieces from when I was blogging almost every day and reading hundreds of blogs a day. For me, it represents those friendships that helped me through some really hard times and helped me find my way as a new wanna-be author.

I wrote Fade Into Me for my girls. It was the first novel that I knew what the theme was before I wrote it. This story was a turning point for me with my writing. Still far from perfect, its a story from my heart just for them.

Even my romances are personal.

Chocolate Kisses came about because a good friend's teen daughter was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. She is this beautiful harpist--seriously she looks like an angel sitting on stage playing--and my brain started asking all these questions.

Landscape Love was written at a time when I desperately needed to feel like I was enough. Through writing it I learned that sometimes we simply need to be enough for ourselves and the rest will follow.

The new book, The Hand of Atua, is about my journey of faith. Sure it's set in space, filled with war, refugees, pain and suffering. But it's really about two people learning to trust in their god. Learning that when he says "they are in my hands" all will be well, even if he calls them home instead of saving them.

So you see, it's okay that my constant begging for reviews falls on deaf ears. Right now, at this moment, I remember why I wrote those stories in the first place. They were for me. It doesn't matter what others think. I don't need their validation today (maybe tomorrow). But tomorrow I can come back and read this post and remember again.

I write for me and it is enough.

Have you reached the point where it's enough for you?

I have also started a private facebook group for people who are willing to read and critique early versions of my projects and who want free books in exchange for honest reviews on Amazon. If you're interested (all you need to be is a reader!) check it out.

Charity's Street Team Facebook Group · 8 members Join Group This is a work in progress, but it will be a group where the people who read early versions of my books and give me good feedback can meet and discuss. There will also be opportunities to receive early copies of new releases for honest reviews.