Oh God. Is it January already? Beneath the impact of re-draft 3 (or is it 3.5? I’m losing count), getting married, buying and selling a house, bored and house-bound children and the insanity of my day job, I somehow let December slip.
So here’s an offering for the rainiest week this winter.
The mission statement of this writers blogging support group (mediated by Alex J. Cavanaugh) runs
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.
So do I have any struggles or triumphs? Well, the re-draft is at 95% and I can almost envisage (on the other side of revision) a readable draft for beta readers. The other minor triumph, even though I got told off for forgetting to post there too, was taking part in the November First Five Pages at Adventures in YA and Children’s Publishing. Most of the incredibly generous feedback I got tactfully pointed out flaw after dreadful flaw – invaluable given the intense redrafting I was working through – and the praise was equally generous. Even the odd comment I disagreed with pushed me to think twice about why I was doing something and change or review it accordingly. Great blog, great workshop. You should check it out.
OK, off to do the catching up with other insecure writers. Mainstream blogging (I’ve missed you!) recommences when I’m back from a business trip to Dublin on Saturday.
Update: Wi-fi in this hotel crawls. So, sorry, but the commenting-on-other-writers-blogs will have to wait till Friday night, plane permitting.
January 4th, 2012 at 8:14 pm
Happy new year, Dad!
January 5th, 2012 at 12:56 am
Congratulations on your progress with the new draft – and for getting to the other side of a crazy December! Thanks for sharing with us.
Finding the flaws in your writing can be tough, but it really is the first step to improvement – sounds like you’ve figured that out already.
January 5th, 2012 at 1:30 am
I’m just starting the IWSG. I can relate to the rewrites for sure! I think I lost track of how many I did for my latest YA. I just sent out 10 queries for that yesterday, so keeping my fingers crossed while I start my third novel. I checked your About page and saw you live in London. It’s so cool to be able to connect with other writers from the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Have a safe trip to Dublin, got to travel there once in 1998:)
January 6th, 2012 at 12:02 am
Hey, we like to hear good news now and then! Good luck finishing your revisions.
January 6th, 2012 at 1:53 am
Hello – passing through while reading IWSG posts. And it’s great to get feedback, whether good or bad – even if it’s painful, it gives us a chance to grow and improve as writers. (Just don’t confuse critique (good) with criticism (bad). Hope you have a great New Year!
January 6th, 2012 at 4:34 pm
Wow, it sounds pretty fair enough that you let December slip you by! Well done on the revisions, wish I had that sort of progess going on.