IWSG: If it was easy, would it be worth it?
That's the question I kept asking myself the last month. It doesn't seem like life in general is slowing down or cooperating at all. That means the writing is sporadic and much harder because I'm not staying in "the zone."
However, every time I think all is lost and there is no way I can meet my deadlines...I do.
How?
By sitting down and slogging through all of the emotional crap that's keeping me from doing anything.
How do I do that?
By writing. Yep, every issue I've ever dealt with is represented in a book somewhere that I wrote. Is it easy? No. But then again, nothing ever worth it was.
Think about it. Would you feel a sense of accomplishment if every day you sat down and poured 10,000 words onto the page in an hour? No way. That's too easy.
When you have to pull every word from your soul with painful tugs and then arrange them into something meaningful that makes sense to others, you look at them differently. We can then beam with pride that we stuck through it and reached the end.
This is probably why we get so insecure about other people reading our stories. After all of that hard work, what if they don't get it? Or worse, what if they simply don't like how we approached our truth?
This used to bother me a lot more than it does now. The anxiety still rears its ugly head, but I've come to realize that people connect to the truth they need in their lives at the moment they are reading. That changes with each person and sometimes with every passing day for the same person. So, it's okay if they see something in my books that I didn't know was there while missing what I wanted to say. It's not all about me anymore.
So, here's a tip for how we can help ourselves and pull in readers to find their own truth. This quote comes from Neil's masterclass. He was talking about where to find story ideas.
The Insecure Writers Support Group
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 - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Let’s rock the neurotic writing world! Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG. The awesome co-hosts for the October 5 posting of the IWSG are Tonja Drecker, Victoria Marie Lees, Mary Aalgaard, and Sandra Cox!
Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. Remember, the question is optional!
October 5 question - What do you consider the best characteristics of your favorite genre?
Oo, fun question! I'm going to mention a couple of things about my two favorite genres.
Science Fantasy
you can mix science and magic
spaceships AND dragons (if you want)
lighter than harder sci-fi, often more character-driven
you can live on earth or on a distant planet
basically, no hard and fast rules you have to stick to
your imagination is the only limit
Contemporary Romance
there is the opportunity to tackle real-world issues going on right now
happily ever afters are guaranteed
who doesn't want to relive that feeling of falling in love again
you can really dig into the inner turmoil and stupid things our emotions drive us to