#IWSG: Frustration

It's the 1st Wednesday. Happy Insecure Writers Support Group Day. IWSG is the brainchild Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh.

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!

Thanks, Alex, for starting this group and keeping it going. And thanks to this month's awesome hosts:  JH Moncrieff, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Jen Chandler, Megan Morgan, and Heather Gardner!  

I'm late but here. I’m having a hard time with time, lately. For one thing, there’s not enough of it. And what there is flies by too quickly. Can you believe it’s June already? I’m frustrated when I don’t write each day. Other commitments get in the way—like baby-proofing our house and preparing for our son and family plus two dogs to arrive at the end of the month for an indefinite stay (until they find a house). I’m thrilled about them moving here from Arizona. Not so thrilled about about cleaning out closets (long overdue) and my office to make room for them. It's taking away my writing time.

Of course, frittering away time playing solitaire and mahjong doesn't help. Nor does reading email and interesting blogs.

At night, I lay awake thinking about what’s going to happen next in my WIP. Just when I think I should get up and write, I fall asleep. I concentrate on the WIP that I’m not writing, figuring that will free my subconscious for the one I am. Does that sound crazy? I probably am. Just a bit. I’m writing a novella (tentatively called Jailbirds and Wedding Bells) that takes place between Books 1 and 2 of my Alex O’Hara PI series. But I long to get back to my sci-fi romance, The Spy. Frustrating. BTW, I do this often—have two (sometimes more) works in progress. While writing one, the other calls.

So that’s where I am this month. I’m sure writing this summer will be challenging with our house guests. Will frustration be my theme next month? I hope not.

The question this month is if you ever said "I quit" what made you come back to writing?

I never actually said I quit, I just did for about four stressful years. Too many family obligations that sucked the creativity out of me. When that ended, I decided to write for me, not for publication. That's when I found the enjoyment I experienced when I first started writing. The more I wrote for fun, the desire to publish returned. Nine books later, I'm still having fun, even when I'm frustrated. LOL

Have a great month!

 Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today. 

#IWSG: Doubts

It's the first Wednesday and time for the Insecure Writers Support Group, whose mission is 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! IWSG is the brainchild of Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh Thanks, Alex, for starting this group and keeping it going. And thanks to this month's awesome hosts:  Yolanda Renee, Tyrean Martinson, Madeline Mora-Summonte , LK Hill, Rachna Chhabria, and JA Scott! 

DOUBTS

At one time or another in this crazy industry we’re involved in, we have doubts about our abilities. Is our writing crap? Will anyone like it? Will an editor buy it? What will reviewers say? No matter how many works we have published, we know it’s a crapshoot getting an editor or an agent who will take a chance on us and our work.

This year I have been full of doubts, stagnation, procrastination. I get ramped up and something happens to drag me down. Sometimes it’s family, mostly it’s me. I have all these marketing plans, thanks to generous writer friends who’ve shared what works for them. I’ll see an opportunity then think about all the work it will take. Do I want to leave the story I’m writing on to follow up? Or should I keep writing?

I’m in the final editing/revising phase of a novella that’s taken me three years to write. Three years? I can hardly believe that. Since when do I take so long to write a short novel? I can crank out a 95k novel in no time but can’t finish a 20k novella? What’s wrong with me?

Looking for that kick in the pants again.

I’ll be without internet service until Friday or Saturday. I’ll try to get to everyone. I so enjoy your blog posts. Best wishes to everyone.

Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today.

Balance

The astrological sign for the beginning of October is Libra. The symbol is a scale, indicating balance. That sort of describes how I think. I can usually see both sides of an issue. I don’t always agree with one side, but I can see the point. I just wish I could balance my life along with my point of view.

One of the questions I usually ask when interviewing for Meet the Author Thursdays is how the author balances “life” and writing. Most say they don’t. I can definitely identify with that. I’m fortunate that my children are grown and gone, Hubs is tolerant, and I’m retired from a day job. Still, it’s difficult to find that balance between life and writing.

Writing is not a put-down/pick-up task. I know there are writers who can write in short snatches of time but not me. I have to reread the last few pages and get “into” the story before I can start writing. Then I get so involved in the story that it’s more difficult to leave it. There are days when it’s easier to stay in the story than stop to empty more boxes and find places for household items or do the laundry and other mundane tasks.

The move to our new house has taken its toll on writing the next book in the Outer Rim series. I love this new story. Whenever I’m asked my favorite book (of my own), I always say the one I’m writing. The Outer Rim books feature strong women on the frontier of space. I thought I would be farther along in the story by now. And that’s frustrating. Frustrating for me and frustrating for readers who are asking when the next book is coming out.

Along with unpacking all those boxes I spent July, August, and part of September packing, I’m promoting One Red Shoe, my new romantic suspense. I love visiting other blogs, like yesterday when I visited Jessica Subject’s Mark of the Stars and talked about my two loves: science fiction romance and romantic suspense. Tomorrow it’s my turn on Roses of Prose where I share what scares me. As much as I enjoy all the blogging, it does take away from my next book.

One thing I don’t regret—time spent with the grandkiddies. We spent a good chunk of last Saturday going to a parade and watching grandson ride on his preschool’s float. So glad it only took us twenty minutes to get to the parade route instead of the two hours it would have taken had we not moved. All the packing and unpacking was/is worth it to be able to enjoy their activities. And no frustration about not writing.

 

How do you balance all the things in your life?

Don’t forget the giveaway that is going on all month. Leave a comment and your email address for a chance at an Amazon gift card. I’ll announce the winner on Halloween.

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