Celebrating 4 years in the IWSG
Today the IWSG celebrates its 12th birthday, and Monday was the 4th anniversary of my first-ever IWSG post. How cool is that? Anniversaries give us a reason to look back, to see how we’ve grown and changed over the years and to celebrate the person–or in this case, people–who have accompanied us on that journey.
But first: In case you’re new here, the first Wednesday of every month is Insecure Writers Support Group day, on which we insecure writers share our doubts, fears, struggles, and triumphs. Our awesome co-hosts this month are Sonia Dogra, J Lenni Dorner, Pat Garcia, Sarah – The Faux Fountain Pen, and Meka James. Stop by and give them some comment love.
We IWSG-ers are also given an optional question we can answer in our posts. This month’s optional question: The IWSG celebrates 12 years today! When did you discover the IWSG, how do you connect, and how has it helped you?
4 great years in the IWSG
I don’t remember exactly how I discovered the IWSG. I think I was searching for information on how to create an author blog, because I’d just created one (I wrote my first post here on September 1, 2019). By happy happenstance, that was right before IWSG day, so I wrote my first IWSG post 3 days later: “Talent is Overrated.” Check it out – it includes my authorial origin story (and I’m not sure I’ve ever written a phrase more pretentious than, “authorial origin story”–and I’m an academic).
I put up that post and added my link to the list of IWSG members–and something magical happened. I was no longer shouting into the Great Electronic Void. People–real, actual people!–read my post and commented on it and welcomed me to the group. I returned the favor, visited a bunch of member blogs, and became part of a community.
The next month I wrote my second-ever IWSG post, just a few days after my mother died (“Creating is Self-Care“). I channeled a lot of pain into that post. It’s raw and honest and felt like a desperate attempt to connect to someone, anyone. And the IWSG community responded.
Since then, I’ve posted most months. I’ve hosted a few times. I’ve visited other IWSG-ers and followed their writing journeys, and they’ve followed mine. I’ve learned that there are many different ways to be a writer and that every writer’s path is unique. I’ve also learned that we all struggle as we wrestle with whatever unseen, powerful force compels us to spill our souls onto a page.
I don’t understand why I have to write. I don’t know if any writer understands what really drives them (if you do, please explain it to me, because logically it makes zero sense that I give up precious hours of free time to do something exhausting and frustrating that will never, ever, pay the bills). But we understand each other. We understand the peculiar pain of putting pieces of our souls out into a cruel industry, getting those soul-pieces stomped on, and then asking for seconds like Kevin Bacon in Animal House:
But when I get done whining, I’ll finish another story, send it out, and assume the position. And my fellow IWSG members will understand and cheer me on.
The memery
I may not bring the talent or the Benjamins, but I do bring the laughs.
C’mon, people. Help me out with step 4. I got nuthin’.
Sub in “Endlessly scrolling Twitter and Reddit” for “Crying,” and this chart would be an accurate representation of my writing life.
As long as we’re sharing infographics on the writing life:
That one is me pretty much every morning. I’ve had more mood swings by 8 AM than a normal (i.e., non-writer) person has in a week. If mood swings burned calories like they burn emotional energy, I’d be a size 4. “Writing exercises,” indeed.
Another snapshot of the writing life:
Every. damn. time.
And finally:
Sorry, gotta run. One of my minor characters has hijacked the story and is on the run again.
If you write (or have any other kind of creative pursuit), how do you connect with others for support and encouragement?
18 Comments
Natalie Aguirre
I don’t think I’d have many people reading my blog posts without this group either. And like you, I’m not always sure why I need to continue writing. I go through periods where I ask myself this question daily. I always come back to enjoying the process and the zone I get in when I’m writing.
Janet Alcorn
I always come back too, and a lot of the time when I don’t feel like writing, if I make myself start, I get in the zone and have fun. I’m my own worst enemy most of the time.
Jennifer Lane
Love the memes! And this is well said: “I’ve learned that there are many different ways to be a writer and that every writer’s path is unique.” Great to be on the path next to you, Janet!
Janet Alcorn
Thanks! Glad to be on the path with you, too.
Sarah Foster
Authorial origin story—I love it! We should all call them that.
Janet Alcorn
Absolutely! If superheroes get origin stories, we should too.
alexjcavanaugh
That was so well said! We do understand one another.
Janet Alcorn
Thanks! We writers are a weird bunch, and it’s wonderful to spend time (even virtually) with other people who understand that weirdness.
Esther O'Neill
I don’t understand why i have to write , maybe never will. Reading something I’d written , a relative working in publishing delivered the bad news. You’re not a writer.
Have I ever been so brutal to O.U. students ? Hope not !
Give up ? At least there’d be no more rejections. Did they know that however flawed, that was piece of my soul ? The mentor I call The Spy was almost 90 and far more encouraging. Former WWII codebreaker in Naval Intelligence, she steered me towards indie publishing.
‘ Publishing has changed. Do it now. You’ve no time to lose.’ Miss her still.
Rounded up my IT husband too…
Writing, i love that moment when characters come alive, start behaving in unexpected ways,.
This week, death is all around – our immediate world transformed, so many trees dead and dying,
Janet Alcorn
Wow, what a cruel thing for that person to say. I’m all for honest feedback, but a verbal slap like that is neither kind nor helpful. How hard would it have been for them to provide actionable feedback, like pointing out a few things for you to work on?
Michelle Wallace
The IWSG has such a wonderful sense of community, which is hard to find in online groups. Being a part of the group has kept me moving forward (like a snail…) on this crazy writer journey.
The main thing is that we don’t have to do it alone!
Janet Alcorn
Glad I’m not the only one moving at a snail’s pace! Then again, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Elizabeth Seckman
I have asked myself and prayed and prayed that the desire to write is replaced with the desire to clean my house, eat veggies, and exercise. Do you know how skinny and organized I could be???
That pretty much means I have no answer for the question, but I’m glad you joined us on the journey.
Janet Alcorn
I hear you. I can think of so many activities that would make more sense, yet here I am, pounding away on my keyboard. Sigh.
HeidiAngell
The answer to 4 is so simple- Marketing.
The answer to 4 is also wildly complex- find the perfect mix of marketing techniques that allow you to target the right readers at the right time to hit that magical zeitgeist of sales. This usually requires an excellent product combined with a boatload of cash to put towards ads, graphics, conventions, etc and the time to do signings, guest appearances, interviews, etc.
Janet Alcorn
Yes, I think time and money are key–as well as a bit of luck.
HeidiAngell
You know how people make their own luck, right? By investing lots of time and money to be in the right place at the right time 😉
Janet Alcorn
Yep. Opportunity, like inspiration, has to find you working.