For a full list of participants click here and hop on over to offer your own words of encouragement and/or assistance.
Also please be sure to visit today's co-hosts:
M. Pax, Karen Walker, and Melissa Maygrove.
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!
Posting: 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 writers.
Last month I decided it was time to finish a WIP I'd had in my drawer and haven't touched since December 2012. Since it was 3/4 done I didn't think it would take me too long. After all, the story was there and I just had to 'clean it up' and 'tie it together'.
Well, what a difference eight months can make! I dove into the WIP (of course there are details of the story you always forget) and started editing from the beginning let me tell you how bad it was:
IT WAS BAD.
What was I thinking? Has my writing changed this much in just eight months? Yes, it has. Since the beginning of this year I've been able to write almost 250K new words I can safely say I've read more than I have any year.
What's the point I'm trying to make? For new writers out there (not to say I'm Stephen King LOL!) it's true what they say: Practice makes perfect and the only way to improve the craft is to keep writing and reading. Mid-next year I'm going to hit that magic 1 million words mark. Experienced writers say once you've written those first 1-million words you most likely know your voice and your writing style.
So don't give up and keep the fingers exercised ;)
What does that mean for my WIP? It's still 3/4 done but it's in much better shape.
What are your insecurities today? Have you seen improvement in your writing? Change in style and voice?
3 comments:
That's why I've never gone back to read my two published novels - the writing would probably scare me. Yes, we do improve the more we write. Glad you are back on track and writing like a madwoman.
And thanks for your dedication to the IWSG. There are only three of us who haven't missed a single posting.
So true. Anyone who's been writing long at all has experienced this, I'm sure. (I know I have. Gah!)
Lesson 2 is, it's good to let a ms sit for a while before editing and polishing. ;)
Great post!
August co-host and IWSG #110
Practice doesn't make perfect, or at least a heck of a lot better, lol. Impartial feedback on the first million words is essential for maximum growth. Good luck.
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