IWSG January

Happy New Year readers, and especially friends of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop which we celebrate today (the first Wednesday of each month). This makes the IWSG my first blog post of the year. Welcome!

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!

IWSG

Co-hosts for the January 5 posting of the IWSG are Erika Beebe, Olga Godim, Sandra Cox, Sarah Foster, and Chemist Ken.

January 5 question – What’s the one thing about your writing career you regret the most? Were you able to overcome it?

I’m going to be honest here and say that so far, there’s not been much I regret. Perhaps I’m not advanced enough in my career!

Then again, I have made some tough decisions about who to not sign with, and I admit that some of my submitted short stories needed more tidying, which inevitably led to rejection as well. But I also learnt a lot from all these things. Especially this:

• Query who you want to, research massively, and send things out only when you’re
  • 1) 100% ready*;
  • 2) have asked at least two betas to read it; and
  • 3) have given it some time to sit before a final revision

I try to take my own advice on that nowadays.

*Okay, I lie. I’ll never be 100% ready. But I trust in the power of editing now, and I know that if a piece has been edited to the best of my own ability, that if it is accepted by someone else there will be a further editing process to go through. At some point, you have to let it go.

What about you? Do you have any writing regrets? Would love to hear about them in the comments!

If you’re interested in how last year went, and what I plan to do next, do check out my 2021 Roundup post from last week. I’ve already sent out five new agent and two new publisher queries for On Solar Winds; I’m working on a short story revision to send out in the next few days; and have two more coming out in magazines this month.

2022, I’m coming atcha!

All the best to IWSG readers and bloggers, my followers and readers, and everyone else that might come across this post. Hope you have a wonderful, productive, rewarding 2022 and that the words flow in mind, heart, and hands.

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Interested in what our other IWSG members have to say in answer to this month’s question? Check out this linky list to visit their blogs.