Wednesday, July 3, 2019

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. 

14 comments:

  1. Wash rinse repeat! Can't give up.
    I won? Cool! I'm pretty sure I have the first book. Let me see which one I'm missing and I'll just take an audio of that one.

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  2. I really like your analogy to poop and cleaning it up. I'm not sure that I'll ever get to the stage where I want to do the marketing and writing on a schedule that is required of a published writer. But I enjoy being creative and write for that reason and will decide on publishing later. It can be like someone who likes to paint but doesn't want to try to sell their work. Or just do what they enjoy toward that goal.

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    1. That's exactly how it is, Natalie. I hate doing the marketing. It sucks up all my creativity and I'm not good at it anyway. :) I love that you continue to write just for you. Sometimes I wish I'd never published that first book. If I'd kept writing for fun I'd have at least 20 books finished already.

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  3. I know how you feel about a new release not doing as well as hoped. But you never know what the future will hold, so things can always change and take off. =)

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  4. Oh, that car was a perfect metaphor for all that we go through!

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  5. It sounds like your book is just not finding its audience. The eternal question, right? How to get the book to sell? I'm certain it's not the merits of the book.

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    1. I'll keep telling myself that's the problem. *sigh* where are my teen scifi readers??

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  6. What positive things do I tell myself? I count my blessings so that I realize I'm not that unloved, that live doesn't hinge upon that single thing and there are many other things to look to. <3

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    1. Yes! This is where I eventually end up after washing away the negative thoughts. Glad you can do this Elizabeth!

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  7. Hi Charity,

    What an inspirational post! Great imagery and Man I can relate to the bird and bug POOP... In Florida this year I can't remember how many times I had to rinse my Jeep of all that poop, just to find out it appears day after day.... a lot like anxiety in writing OR in my case, lack of inspiration. I know I write well and I know my readers do enjoy what I write, BUT, so many times I just don't care to write, especially when my home is in disarray. Long story, but today I finalized the artwork and my condo is gorgeous again..now I can take a few days to enjoy my surrounding and familiarize myself with my home again, THEN I will be able to sit down and write like I used to. I have a lousy SIX chapters to go... I WILL FINISH by the time I return to Chicago in six weeks. Yes... I must. LOL

    Happy 4th, and NEVER give up on your writing and talent... your readers LOVE YOU!

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  8. Your quote "If we wait until we're ready..." is perfect advice. Hope you have a great month.

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