The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond

Introduction

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group was founded in 2011 with one goal in mind—connect writers to one another for support and encouragement. It began as a blog group, posting on the first Wednesday of every month. The response was incredible as participants found inspiration, answers, and friends in the process.

The group’s membership swelled into the hundreds, and in 2013, the IWSG Facebook group was established. At the same time, we launched the IWSG website, a database of databases covering a multitude of writing and author topics. In addition to thousands of resources, we feature articles from authors and industry experts every week.

This book is a celebration of the IWSG group’s three year and the website’s one year anniversary. The articles and essays within all came from our members. They cover the three basic areas—writing, publishing, and marketing. It is our hope that this book will benefit you as a writer, no matter where you reside in the journey.

My heartfelt thanks to the administrators of the IWSG website—without you this book wouldn’t be possible:

Lynda Young

http://lyndaryoung.blogspot.com/

Michelle Wallace

http://writer-in-transit.co.za/

Susan Gourley/Kelley

http://susangourley.blogspot.com/

L. Diane Wolfe

http://circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/

Joylene Nowell Butler

http://cluculzwriter.blogspot.com/

Joy Campbell

http://joylcampbell.com/

And thank you to all of the writers and authors who contributed their words of wisdom.

This book represents the spirit of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group—to encourage and support writers everywhere!

For more information about the group, please visit the Insecure Writer’s Support Group website -

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/

and Facebook group -

https://facebook.com/groups/IWSG13/

Alex J. Cavanaugh, IWSG Founder

http://alexjcavanaugh.com/

Part One: Writing

Make Room for Writing

by Theresa Milstein

Margaret Atwood told some version of this story:

A brain surgeon meets a writer at a cocktail party.

So you write? says the brain surgeon. Isn’t that interesting. I’ve always wanted to write. When I retire and have the time, I’m going to be a writer.

What a coincidence, says the writer, because when I retire, I’m going to be a brain surgeon.

As if it were that easy.

I’ve been writing seriously for eight long years. In that time, a few of my writer-friends I’ve really rooted for no longer use the title writer.

Some people are afraid to call themselves writers until they’re published. That makes no sense to me. You write—you’re a writer. Where else do we make this arbitrary rule? We read—we call ourselves readers. We don’t say, But I can’t count myself as a reader until I’ve read all of Shakespeare’s works, or I’m not a reader until I’ve read 1,000 books or 1 million pages. Even babies who are read to or toddlers who pretend to read are readers, so why can’t we be writers?

But the problem with my former-writer friends isn’t about what they call themselves. It’s about what they do … or rather … don’t do.

Life is busy. I get it. It’s stressful. There are a myriad of hardships people experience. And I’m not going to minimize the physical, psychological, and spiritual havoc this can cause on their wellbeing, let alone creativity.

Except in temporary extreme circumstances, we don’t stop cooking, driving the kids to activities, doing laundry, reading, and working at our day jobs. Some even maintain blogs or stay active on social media sites.

Then why is writing often sacrificed above all else?

It took me four years to figure out that if I didn’t make the consistent commitment to write, it might not happen at all. I used to have deluges and droughts, and I thought that was okay. Then I switched from working part time to full time. My classes were stressful, and I had lesson plans to create, papers to grade, parents to meet, and so on.

I didn’t write for six months.

By February break, I realized my soul had become malnourished. For the rest of the school year I tried to make an effort to write, but I accomplished very little. It wasn’t enough.

I decided I needed to write nearly every day, no matter what the job and the circumstance. This coincided with a decision to attend graduate school for Special Education. How would I balance everything: husband, children, working full time, attending a class, and running a house?

We all have a different list of obligations, and the list is always in flux. Somehow it grows longer. And longer.

You will NEVER have time.

When we place writing on the bottom of that list or don’t put writing on it at all, then maybe the term writer doesn’t apply to us. If we don’t even log in the same number of minutes it takes to brush our teeth to write fiction, then what are we doing?

It’s about reprioritizing.

There are no hard and fast rules. Do what works for you. Write for 30 minutes a day. Write 500 words per day. Write 1,000 words per day. Write 5 minutes per day. Write at the same time each morning. Write after the kids go to bed. Write when the kids are at their activities or the little ones take a nap. Write during your lunch break. Write a novel during NaNoWriMo, and then spend the rest of the year revising it and working on other writing projects. When you’re in between projects or uninspired, write poetry or micro-fiction.

But do something.

This is what worked for me: My goal is to write every day for at least 30 minutes. Critiquing, reading for research, and writing a blog post do not count towards my writing goals. Otherwise, I could go every single day and not write a word of fiction or a line of poetry.

Not only do I rarely miss a day, but also I’ve never been more prolific. By exercising my writing muscle, it gets stronger.

Don’t look to friends and family to validate your writing. Even if they’re supportive, it’s not their responsibility to motivate you. Some might even start making negative comments when your journey is taking longer than expected. Don’t let them cultivate your seeds of doubt. And if they’re not supportive, all the more reason for you to show that your writing time is non-negotiable.

If you don’t make the effort to write, it won’t happen.

I recently heard an agent say that writers should compare themselves to the characters in their stories. The consequences for the main character not obtaining her goal have to be great or the story won’t be compelling. If what a writer thinks she’ll lose by not writing isn’t great enough, her compulsion to write will wane.

How important is writing to YOU?

If it’s not your passion, then don’t let writing get in the way of other pursuits.

It’s hard being a writer. There are bouts of doubt:

Each time you read a book and think you’ll never be able to write that well,

Each time you receive a rejection,

Each time you receive negative feedback from a critique group or a beta reader,

Each time you don’t win a contest,

Each time another writer has some big announcement.

But if writing feeds your soul, then get that butt in the chair and write.

Right now.

Theresa Milstein, author, professional aide, student, wife and mother, and an editor at Vine Leaves Literary Journal.

http://theresamilstein.blogspot.com

Flash Focus

by Michelle Wallace

Flash Fiction

What is flash fiction? It’s a short form of storytelling. It can be written and read in a few minutes, or seconds.

Names for it include short-short stories, sudden, postcard, minute, furious, fast, blasters, flashers, quick, skinny, and micro fiction. In France such works are called nouvelles. In China this type of writing has several interesting names: little short story, pocket-size story, minute-long story, palm-sized story.

I’ve also heard it referred to as tea-break tales or a story you can read while waiting for the barista to finish making your non-fat, no-foam, chai vanilla iced latte.

These stories cover all styles, from literary to traditional to experimental, and all genres, from mystery to romance, horror and even magic realism.

Good flash fiction should have the following:

There should be a beginning, a middle, and an end.

The key word is restraint. You have a word limit. Don’t let that put you off. Brevity actually fosters creativity and reinforces tight, lean writing. There’s no room for superfluous words. Be very specific in word choice.

Throw your reader in at the deep end, which is at the point of conflict, with the barest minimum of exposition. There’s no time to set scenes, character development or lengthy introductions.

Avoid over-thinking. After somebody has really annoyed you, then sit down at your computer, open a word document and let rip. It’s a record of brief spontaneous observations. In the final copy, a lot of the stuff will end up being deleted, but sparkling nuggets nestle somewhere amongst the load of fluff.

Flash fiction should deliver that punch-to-the-solar-plexus moment.

So how do I go about creating my flash fiction?

My flash pieces are inspired by prompts. I enjoy word prompts/photo prompts. First—read the prompt for the day. Second—allow my imagination to go off at a tangent as I consider the connotation of the word. Sometimes a picture accompanies the word … sometimes not. If there’s no picture/photo, I sometimes look around for one, to enhance the entire process. I toy around with all the words that come to mind when I look at the picture. By the process of elimination, I try to get rid of all the obvious words, and ones that sound boring. This initial exercise gets the creative juices going. Then it’s time to think out-of-the-box. I turn to the unusual ways of using the word and let these ideas simmer for a day or two.

As the piece begins to develop/unfold in my mind, I try to make it exciting by incorporating the following:

Sentence variation. This depends on the prompt and is also guided by my mood. It can range from five long sentences in one piece, or five short sentences in one piece, or long and short combined. I do prefer short sentences. They work well, especially with micro-fiction. However, I also love the pacing of a well-constructed long sentence, which can be elegant and really effective, without necessarily being too heavy or flowery. I’ve discovered that use of a one-word, two-word or three-word sentence really packs a punch.

I strive for a specific mood/tone in the piece.

Use of the senses. At least one or two…

So why should you write flash fiction?

It’s a way to establish a writing routine. You can write flash fiction every day, especially if you’re temporarily stuck on a larger project.

It’s a way to create a complete piece of writing quickly.

In today’s society, short attention span is on the rise. It’s a sign of the times we live in—Twitter, the Internet, SMS. This instant gratification lifestyle has permeated all layers of society. It’s now the primary way of life. We now gratify many of our needs with just an internet enabled device, e.g. one-click ordering via Amazon. It’s become a world that’s moving quickly, a world of rapid change and quick fixes—so it demands an ability to be able to switch focus from this to that … on and off … hence the shorter attention span. It’s almost as if technology has taken away the luxury of the long attention span. So whether you are reading or writing these stories, they provide quick satisfaction, something we all crave in our breathless, short-attention-span world.

For those of you who have NEVER attempted flash fiction before—you have NO IDEA what you’re missing out on. It’s loads of fun!

It’s literary bungee jumping/ scuba diving (not that I’ve bungeed or had the deep sea diving experience) … an exciting, heady, addictive, adrenalin-pumping experience. Give it a go!

Michelle Wallace calls herself a writer-in-the-making who has embarked on a never-ending journey. She blogs at

http://writer-in-transit.co.za/

Writing and Recovery

by Eva E. Solar

I have had a love of writing since I can remember. In elementary school, I would write and illustrate my own storybooks to read to my class of stuffed animals and Barbie dolls. I always thought my career would involve writing in some way, but that didn’t exactly happen. As a single mother, I raised a daughter and worked as an Executive Assistant in Corporate America until 2000. After losing my dad in March, 2000, I became an Emergency Medical Technician. I lost my mother a year later.

I dedicated over a decade to helping the sick and injured, until November 2011 when I became one of the sick. Standing up from a sitting position, I felt a heat rise from my lower body to the back of my neck and snap like a rubber band; it was the worst pain I ever felt, yet it only lasted about 30 seconds. Immediately, I felt nauseated. My former roommate drove me to the local Emergency Room. Halfway there, I was semi-conscious and seizing. Thankfully, no time was wasted pulling over to call 911; she just kept driving.

A CT scan revealed a sub-arachnoid hemorrhage in my brain. Since the hospital was local and not equipped for a brain hemorrhage, they flew me to a Level 1 Trauma Hospital. I had brain surgery the following morning. I suffered an ischemic stroke during surgery, a common side effect. I spent nearly a month in neuro-surgical ICU fighting for my life; my left side was useless, my speech was impaired, and my memory, focus, and concentration were severely shot. After ICU, I was sent to an inpatient rehabilitation facility where I spent another month, learning how to use my left side, to speak, walk, concentrate, and focus again.

What does any of this have to do with writing? is a question you might ask yourself. In my world it means everything. My writing is what keeps me going. I am still recovering; my brain is still recovering. I can walk now, slowly, mostly without the assistance of any mobility devices. I speak fluently now unless I’m distressed, then I tend to stutter. Badly. My attention span, focus, and concentration have improved, but I work on it constantly. Writing helps. It makes me focus. It makes me concentrate. People look at me and don’t see any visible signs of brain injury. That doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Sometimes they need to be reminded, gently. Writing allows me to do that. It allows me to write out possible teaching moments when I can’t find the words to express what needs to be said verbally.

It is one of the first things I made myself relearn once I started stroke rehab. My Speech therapist encouraged and helped me with it, as did my Occupational and Recreational therapists. I cannot work outside my home, not yet, anyway. I struggle to get better physically, emotionally, mentally, cognitively, and spiritually. One thing is certain: I never give up, ever. I consider myself too lucky to have gone through so much to think anything is beyond my capabilities. I cannot and will not let this disability define who I am, and neither should any other writer who has a dream like mine. Let nothing or no one stop you.

1. Do what you can, when you can.

2. If lists help you organize your day, then make one. Every task checked off that list is something to be proud of. Remember that.

3. Take multiple breaks. Sitting in front of the computer without taking breaks will actually hinder you, not help you.

4. Eat right, even if it is multiple small meals a day. Taking care of yourself is top priority if you want the energy to put out stories that others will enjoy.

5. Stay hydrated. Drink, drink, and drink plenty of fluids.

6. Try to maintain a regular sleep schedule. This is a difficult one for sure for anyone who suffers chronic and neuropathic pain as I do. Do your best. During one of your multiple breaks, squeeze in a nap if you can.

7. Surround yourself with positive people. No matter what it takes or how long, find a positive support system. During my deepest depression when my real life support system failed, I found my fiercest support online until I was able to find my freedom. This small group is now a part of my extended family. Find yours. It will make all the difference.

8. Most important: believe in yourself. I have the encouragement of family, a miniscule number of faithful friends, and some very special blogging friends who believe in me. I believe in you.

I am not only a writer, I am also a survivor.

Eva E. Solar, former EMT, brain hemorrhage/stroke survivor and writer on a mission to be published.

http://lifepostbrainhemorrhage.wordpress.com/

Voice: the Stuff of Life

by C.D. Coffelt

You know it when you read it, but it’s hard to define. It’s on the tip of your tongue, like the name of an acquaintance long forgotten. It’s a zephyr, the cobwebby gossamer thread of our thoughts.

It is a writer’s Voice.

The definition is easy enough. Voice: In literary works, the distinctive style or manner of expression of an author or narrator.

Oh, well, is that all? Whew. I thought it was something intangible.

Wait. What?

It is like describing the color blue to a person blind since birth, impossible to explain. But it’s there, right in front of you. When you can see, mentally touch, smell, and breathe in the words of a novel, that is Voice. When the author pulls you into a scene, and you feel the rush of air as the characters dance past you, it is Voice touching your senses. If you bend forward and press your nose against the pages or taste the sweetness of the words, Voice has wormed its way into your mind. It is a cadence like a poem or song.

Voice is the color of a field of sunflowers, waving like melting butter.

Voice is an elderly couple holding hands in the park, their fingers like winter’s branches, gnarled and familiar.

Voice is cadence, a slow dance of Life. A poem’s beat and the lyrics of a song. Soothing. Calling. Lulling the reader into the slow drawl of the music and, boom, startling them in surprise at the explosive sound of the bass drums.

The red pillow that reminds the narrator of his lost love’s blush. The absolute green displayed when the sun drops below a cloudy sky.  Personal touches. Feelings. Emotions.

Sounds. Unique and very private thoughts, of fantasy and immediate impressions.

It is sentence structure. Long sentence, long, short, short, fragment, long. Or medium, medium, medium, short, short. Anyone who knows me has heard my reference to the Dierks Bentley’s song What Was I Thinking as an example of cadence. Listen to the beat, how it complements the lyrics so exactly.

Fragments. We think and talk in fragments. It is the way our brains work, not in long-winded sections, but salient expressions, the gems most important. Ignore the software that pings and lights up like Robby the Robot—warning, warning—and use fragments for Voice.

While Voice is impossible to explain, it does have one thing going for it. It’s a self-taught skill. Pick a favorite book. Find a passage that moves you and dissect it. Why is it important? What words jump out at you? How does it make you feel? Likely, the author’s Voice affected you.

Knowing the bland definition of a literary term isn’t always sufficient. It’s realizing when it strikes that is important.

The caress of a writer’s words opens a reader’s eyes to the world of our making. They enter through the door called Voice and marvel.

C.D. Coffelt, author

http://cd-coffelt.com/

How to Write What You Love and Maintain Enthusiasm

by Emma L. Adams

Lately, I’ve been working on a book which has been an absolute dream to write. You know you’ve got the right idea when it gives you goose bumps, invades your mind and whispers in your ear whenever you’re doing anything else. However, once you’re mired in the middle of a draft, it can be hard to rejuvenate that enthusiasm. Writing is supposed to be both fun AND hard work, but when it starts feeling like a chore, the self-doubt demons can come out to play—I’ve been there, too many times. So, here are some tips for making the writing process as fun and painless as possible!

Write the book you HAVE to write. It might seem obvious, but if you’re super-excited about the story, then the enthusiasm should spill over into the writing itself—both speed and quality. In short, write the book that you’d be first in line to buy if someone else had written it. So before even starting, make a list of all those things that make you NEED to pick up a book. Of course, that’s different for everyone! Personally, I love interesting and original fantasy worlds and magic systems, well-developed and conflicted characters, twisty plots (bonus points for any twist