Today I'm thrilled to announce the next big IWSG guide calling for submissions. Please read the guidelines below.
Guidelines:
The IWSG Guide to Writing for Profit--This will be a non-fiction book like our Guide to Publishing and Beyond.
What to write: Share experiences about making a profit as an author, what it takes to become a successful writer, the many skills a writer needs to learn other than writing, share the experience going from hobby writer to published author (without making it a self-promotion piece), the fallacies behind writing for profit, the little known facts learned along the way, what you wished you knew when you first started writing, or marketing tips based on experience of what has worked and what hasn't. Please include a title, your name, and a link to one of your sites. Send as an attached Word file or pasted into the email.
If you have any questions, email us at admin AT insecurewriterssupportgroup.com
Word limit: 500-1000 words.
Submission eligibility: All members of the IWSG Blog Hop, IWSG Facebook group and/or members of our IWSG Goodreads Book Club. It's free to join any of these groups and a great benefit to be a part of these communities.
Deadline: July 31, 2017
Send your submission to admin AT insecurewriterssupportgroup.com as an attached Word document and note which IWSG group you belong to. Please include your name, a one line bio, and one website link.
The one hundred best entries will be included in the book.
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June's optional question is: Did you ever say “I quit”? If so, what happened to make you come back to writing?
I did quit writing for a long time. Silliest thing I ever did. It was the love of story and words that brought me back. But having taken that massive break, I found it really difficult to get back to the same skill level and ease of writing I had before I quit. But what is just as damaging is quitting reading. It can easily happen when you get busy and decide to sacrifice reading time so you have time to write instead. Big mistake! It has the same effect on writing as if I'd quit writing. So I recommend all writers make the time to read as well as write.
How about you? Did you ever quit? What brought you back?
73 comments:
Marketing is my bag, but I haven't published anything yet, so I'm not sure I'm a good candidate for contributions.
I just wrote my own blog post about this (leenasbooks.com). I also had a long pause in writing because of my studies, but the writing flowed easily when I started anew. (Illnesses and death in the family, studies... all these took my energies).
But one thing I really have had to learn to do again is to read. When I studied Egyptology for five years (and had a full time job at the same time) I had no time to read novels. Now I have decided to read at least a little every day and it has been so enjoyable!
And as a writer, I think there is truth in what Stephen King said: "If you don't have time to read, you don't have time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that."
Leena :)
It's easy to forego one or the other - but really hard to pick back up again.
Stoked for this anthology! You picked a great theme.
I agree Linda. It is hard to get back to the writing flow. I did quit as a teen and didn't get back to it until my son was born, so almost 15 years! I don't think I'll ever do that again. Happy Wednesday!
I wrote into my twenties and then quit for ten years. Once I started again, I couldn't stop.
Do you know, I've never seen Lilo and Stitch?
I totally agree, if you take a writing break, never quit reading!
The backbone of writing is reading and not reading is like having a car without gas in it. We need to read. It is a necessity if we want to write well.
Shalom aleichem,
Patricia
Everything Must Change
"But what is just as damaging is quitting reading." Absolutely! Stephen King says that if you don't have the time to read, then you don't have the time or the skill to write. I constantly have to remind myself of that when I set up my to-do list for the week and want to scrap reading time because it'll eat away at writing time. It's all a balancing act, isn't it?
I don't know that I've quit, but I sure have taken some long breaks :-)
I have a brain of a mule, which means I don't really quit since I see quitting as a defeat and we just can't have those. Outside the professional world, I do sometimes feel like quitting from people... like all people :)
I went through a reading crisis when my husband died when I couldn't read hardly any books. It was horrible. Glad I got out of that. I love writing, but just writing differently now--nonfiction--because I get paid for it.
Reading is as important as writing! My Kindle is overloaded with books. Sometimes I'm surprised at how many books I read a week:)
It's the same with all skills isn't it? If we don't continue to practice, we lose the edge. So pleased you are back in the game, Lynda :) Take good care.
Excellent point about what happens when you quit reading. I'm pretty sure I could never do that - reading and writing keep me sane (relatively speaking, of course!) :)
Silliest thing for sure. Glad you realized it. =)
The anthology sounds like an amazing one and I can't wait to see what comes of it!
I've never quit, but it always takes me a little time to get into the rhythm of a new project.
Funny. Even after a couple days, I have that same moment. Will I be able to write another word? I wait and slowly the words come again. Every time is scares me. :-)
Anna from elements of emaginette
Yep, can't always be either or, you sure need both at your sure.
Shore* can't spell, what the heck
Hi Lynda - that'll be a great read ... and wonderful to hear more about everyone's entries ... cheers Hilary
I used to write a ton of non-fiction as a journalist, so for a while I had no creative energy left for writing fiction. But I never really quit...every day, I carried the guilt about not pursuing my dream. Finally I did something about it.
Very cool:) I'm interested. The though part will be keeping it under 1,000 words.
Sounds like a great idea for an anthology! As for quitting, haven't wanted to, but often take breaks to balance stress and real life. Reflecting and assessing more as I get older too. Approaching my writing more prayerfully and purposefully.
Great idea for the anthology! And, yes! The quality of my writing definitely dwindles when I stop reading and/or writing. Great advice to keep at it.
www.jessicatherrien.com
In a lot of these posts it seems that the love of telling a story is what brings people back. It's addictive!
I think someone who hasn't been published yet still has a lot to offer the anthology.
Reading is essential to a writer's life.
Thanks, Alex
I hope you don't
Ha, we had a similar path.
You may not have seen Lilo and Stitch, but you recognized Stitch! :)
never, ever!
Well said! Love that analogy!
It definitely is a balancing act.
Sometimes breaks are necessary
It's good to have that stubbornness.
Yep, I recently let stress convince me I had no time for reading, or just couldn't read. It turns out that reading reduces stress.
That's one thing I wish: that I was a faster reader because there are so many books I want to read!
So true about that edge and the need to practice.
Same here. I've learned that sanity is somewhat important too ;)
I hope you are able to take part in the anthology
Yep, once that rhythm gets going, it's so much easier! And a whole lot more fun too.
It's good to be scared. Keeps you on your toes.
Hey, both makes sense... kinda. Or is that cents? Giggle.
I'm hoping it will help a lot of people.
So good to hear you got there.
I believe in you!! ;)
Absolutely, those breaks are sometimes necessary. And prayers are powerful, so it's a good approach.
A little bit each day can help
I'm not sure what it is about story that keeps us coming back. I should think about it some more...
First, I appreciate your comment that unpublished authors have something to contribute to the anthology. I had dismissed the idea of contributing, but am now inspired to rethink this. Second, I agree completely that not making time to read is damaging to our craft. To that end, several months ago I added it to my list of goals to read a certain amount each month. Knowing that I hold myself accountable to the goal encourages me to keep on track.
Writing for profit? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!
Trust me, you don't want any of my suggestions on that topic. :-P
IWSG June
I'm so glad to hear you are thinking of contributing to the anthology.
I joined the Goodreads reading challenge late in the year because I hadn't read enough. I'm currently seven books behind my goal, but I'm sure I will catch up. And I've certainly enjoyed the difference it has made to my writing.
lol, you made me smile with your response. Perhaps you DO have something to offer the anthology.
I have to admit that I've definitely cut back on my reading in order to increase my writing time. Possibly a mistake, bu I don't feel I have much choice.
Hey Lyn I Quit with the writing, but I used to read books with a baby over my shoulder. Never quit with the reading. That new IWSG book will be great, not that I have anything to offer, LOL!
(I've been meaning to email for a month or so to apologize for being out of touch while in my cave. I don't come out very often, LOL, but school hols soon! Yippee!)
Hope things are going well for you. Is that one of your avatars used here?
Denise :-)
I have a tendency to stop and start again whenever anything big changes or shifts, or I get a massive dose of doubt. I don't really fully quit since I keep a journal and lists around. The longest time I went without journaling or writing fiction was about six months, and I remember starting to write some seriously long lists during that time. Reading is like eating for me - I literally can't stand to go more than three days without a book to read. My hardests fasts have been from fiction.
I told myself that only recently. I can vouch it makes a huge difference to your writing when you don't sacrifice your reading time. Sacrifice something else eg TV.
I understand what it's like to be in a writing cave, so don't feel like you need to apologize for not emailing. I just wish you were still in Brissy!!! lol.
Re the avatar, do you mean my photo of Stitch? It's one of my husband's many figurines from those video games. They make good photo subjects.
It's good you've never really quit, and even better that you are reading a lot.
Thanks, Lynda:) I'll try to think up a brilliant topic. :)
That is a great point about reading. I did that too and does affect the writing when you don't read enough.
Happy IWSG
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
I read to see how others make their stories work, the plotting, the word choice. Of course, it takes me longer to read that way, but I can’t seem to enjoy a story otherwise. I attack movies in the same way. I’m analyzing how the plot sticks together.
Thanks so much for sharing this with your followers, Lynda. I hope you are well.
I've never quit reading. Even when writing was difficult or unmanageable, I read. It's like filling a dry well. I'm glad you're back writing.
It's amazing the difference it makes.
Hi Victoria. Some of my friends don't like watching movies with me because I'm always pulling the stories and visuals apart, so I understand.
It really is like filling a dry well.
So true! Getting that level of skill back after even a short pause is difficult. I'm struggling to 'get in the groove' at the moment
I don't really find the skill has faded after a break, but it's like writing is a muscle and I've become unfit. :-D
So I try not to take breaks. Sometimes, though, I just can't help needing a rest.
As much as I need to write, if I stopped reading to find more time to write, I think I'd start to resent writing. Sometimes I do take breaks from both, but I always do so with every intention to pick the habits back up after a set period of time. I think taking a rest or break is good sometimes.
It was reading that brought me back to writing. I'm just coming off of a long break and you're right when you say that it's rough to regain your previous skill level.
Thanks, Lynda. <3
It's exciting to see news of a new anthology. This one will be chalked full of inspiration, I'm sure.
Indeed - if you don't give your brain time to rest the creative well does run dry. So no bad conscience on having a break from writing!
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