IWSG: When They Pry my Cold Dead Fingers from the Keys!

Our Insecure Writers Support Group’s optional question for July is thought provoking: “What would make you quit writing?”

All of the road blocks that come to mind, I’ve already run into during my 30+ years as a published author (not to mention those that came before that first contract). To name a few of those Things That Want to Make You Quit:

• Rejections – Check.
• Stalled projects – Check.
• Lose agent – Double check.
• Line you write for closes – Multiple checks.
• Genre you write for tanks – Multiple checks, which is why I’ve written in so many of them.
• New baby – Check. Book 3 due same day as son two, and both were early!
• Young kids at home – Double check. I wrote while they napped or were playing outside within earshot. Mom’s with kids can hear through walls!
• Lose editor – Check.
• Return to the work force (after 15 years of mom duty) – Check. Got up at 4:30 a.m. to get my pages in before the drive to my law offices where working the desk gave me plenty of new ideas!
• Divorce (after 24 years), sale of house and move into apartment – Check. Stressful but still doable.
• Surgery – Check. Carpal tunnel and two knee replacements.
• Lack of motivation – Check. Rx of sleep in, take a day or two off for whining, reading, binge watching, and relaxation then schedule a back to work date. Ideas swarming by then.
• Well of ideas runs dry – Naw! Never happen. All I have to do is look in my old idea file and I have enough storylines, series ideas, and character sketches to last two lifetimes.
• Technology – Check. My first books were written long hand then typed on a manual typewriter using correction ribbon! Eight books were saved on 5¼ “ disks! To reissue my first 20+ books, I’d have to have them professionally scanned. This old dog hates learning new tricks . . . but I do them.
• Self-publishing – Check. Thank goodness for my virtual assistant who handles conversions and my critique partner who is a phenomenal cover artist! I do love doing the promo!
• Lack of advances – Check. Going from five figure advances and multibook contracts to self-publishing really hit the savings account hard but it didn’t seem to make a difference to those stories that needed telling.

I’ve come to terms with all of the above and they don’t deter me from sitting down at the keyboard. The one thing that I have a hard time getting past that takes some of the joy out of what I do has four letters – F-R-E-E. Working hard to produce the best possible product only to have the market flooded with an endless supply of horribly written, unedited dreck may someday be this writer’s final straw. When readers sniff at paying $0.99 for a book that should have sold for $6.99+ and say why pay when they can get books for free? . . . sigh! That’s a hard one to swallow. Readers who don’t value a professionally written book might be that bridge too far.

Here’s hoping a discerning audience will never become a thing of the past!

The Insecure Writer’s 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.The awesome co-hosts for the July 7th posting of the IWSG will be Pat Garcia, Victoria Marie Lees, and Louise – Fundy Blue!

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Twitter hashtag is #IWSG