Summer Scavenger Hunt Winners and Insecurity is like bird poop

Let's start with our winners from the Solstice Scavenger Hunt. Thank you to those who commented. The grand prize winners were announced Monday on the Fantasy and Sci-fi Readers Lounge on Facebook. Head over there if you entered the contest.

Now, for the winners of the audiobooks I promised to those who commented on the scavenger hunt post. These three people can choose one, two, or all three audiobooks--The Magic Wakes (book 1), Dawn of the Mages (TMW book 2), and/or Stellar Cloud.

And the winners are...

Alex Cavanaugh

Liz A

Rebecca Woodie

Keep an eye out for an email from me later today.

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 writers.

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

Sometimes life is beautiful. It's like this summer walk I took this morning. Blue skies above, green everywhere I looked, the sun filtering through the leaves...

The best part was it was early enough that the road was still in the shade so it wasn't too hot. The birds were singing good morning. It was really nice.

My writing world is like that sometimes. The ideas fill my head, and when I sit to write there are no interruptions. The words flow and the story takes the shape I expected. I get up from those writing sessions feeling fulfilled, like I accomplished something.

Other times, life and my writing world feel like every bird in town decided to poop on my car.

Some poop are simply distractions. My kids need something, my husband needs something, the phone won't stop ringing, I have to do laundry or not wear clothes (ick!).

But some of the poop is insecurity.

That new release has only sold a handful of copies and no one is reviewing. I thought it was my best work yet. Must not be true though if I can't even give the thing away. No one cares but my mom. I should just give up and find something else to make me happy.

The problem is all these insecure thought processes just leave me feeling yucky inside.

So, what do we need to get rid of insecurity?

Yep, find a way to wash it away. The sad bit is insecurity will come back. That's just a fact of life that will never change. The trick is to accept it and pull out the metaphorical bucket of soapy water. Whatever that may be. This week for me it is reading notes from people who do enjoy my writing. Notes from people who are NOT my family, because it means more somehow.

And I have to keep telling myself that writing is part of who I am. Even if no one ever reads another word.

What positive things do you tell yourself?

JULY 3rd question: What personal traits have you written into your characters?

For the last ten years I've been discovering myself, or who I wish I was, in almost every character I've written. They have my fears, many of my weaknesses, but some of my strengths too. The most important of which is my inability to simply give up or give in to my fear. I believe my characters to be real, flawed, and yet hopeful for the most part. This is me in a nutshell.