I can’t believe it’s already October. Where has this year gone? Before I get into my insecurities for this month, I wanted to give a shout out and congrats to our fearless IWSG leader, Alex Cavanaugh. If you haven’t read his Cassa series cumulating with CassaStorm, which was released last month, you are missing out.
Thanks to the #IWSG co-hosts this months, Julie Luek, Rachna Chabria, Beverly Fox, and Ilima Todd! Please be sure to thank them for their time and effort to make all IWSG members feel welcome.
#IWSG – The ups and downs are inevitable in this journey. It is like life I guess, some days the words are flowing, the goals are being met, your on top of things. Other times, you can’t help but be overwhelmed by the weight of it all.
September was a particularly unstable month for me. Here are some of the highlights:
I started the month on a four day solo writing retreat to The Hill Country near Lake Travis (North of Austin, Tx). – UP
The hotel I stayed at was a hole. – DOWN
I found an amazing spot to gets some work done and finished edits on my WIP. – UP
I sent my WIP out to some amazing people who agreed to beta read it for me. – UP
I started my own read through and found so many grammar issues, I recalled it from all the beta’s. – DOWN
I thought I had found a new critique group with two ladies who write in my genre. – UP and super excited to have some feedback from fans and writers of NA.
After emailing them my WIP, they decided I wasn’t right for their group after all. – WAY DOWN and a little defeated.
I submitted my query letter to Unicorn Bell Query Workshop and received the most amazing feedback and suggestions and from that I created a query letter that I am so proud of. – WAY UP and renewed my faith in this amazing writing community.
I pitched my story during #PitMad and got two partials and a full request, one from my dream agent. – UP
I sent a query letter to another dream agent and got a partial request based on just the query letter. – WAY UP
I am still editing my WIP because every time I read through it I find something that needs to be improved. – UP & DOWN
How do you deal with the ups and downs of being a writer?
Sydney Aaliyah Michelle 
Thanks, Sydney!
Sounds like you were steadily climbing up all month. Congratulations on the requests. That is really awesome.
And now you know why I’ve never read any of my books once they were published. I’d find something that needed to be changed or fixed and at that point it’s too late anyway.
Thanks Alex. It’s been an interesting month, but definitely on an upswing.
Congrats on all your requests!! That’s great! And writing is such an up and down journey. I remember getting an agent rejection one day and a request for a full the next. It’s so crazy.
I’m glad you mentioned you’re still working on your ms, cuz I was wondering if you’d forgotten to send it back to me. Take your time tho. Isn’t it crazy what we can find when we think we’re done?? I must’ve revised Butterman 5 times after you read it… and I’m still wondering if it should be revised again. lol Argh!!
Thanks PK. No I haven’t forgot about you. My goal is to get it out to everyone this weekend.
Sydney, I really appreciate your sharing your ups and downs! It’s a wild ride and a vulnerable one. It’s nice to be reminded others are with you, too.
That is definitely a rollercoaster of a month! There’s a lot of downs there, but it ends on ups, so that’s good. Good luck with everything!
Life is full of ups and downs. I don’t think much about the writer part. This fast passage of time is making me insecure. October already! Another year almost gone.
Lee
Wrote By Rote
I know what you mean, Lee. I gave myself a year to do so many things and now I only have three months left. What have I done. Haha.
I tend to find the ups and downs affect me more than just outright negativity. Particularly when I’ve been through things like you went through with the critique group – exciting opportunities that peeter out – it can be really frustrating.
I know it’s a bit cliched and easy to say, but try and focus on the positives, and try and make sure there are more posiitves than negatives each month, and you should be headed in the right direction.
Thanks David. I will try.
I use anti-nausea meds to deal with it.
Okay, just kidding, but some days it feels like I need some with the rollercoaster ride called publishing.
You’re making the same mistake I did with my first ms. You’re querying it, now time to move on with your next project. You won’t get anything done if you keep reading through the ms. Let agents get back to you and then decide what to do. Don’t waste valuable writing time. Get writing!!!
Thanks Stina. Your right. I need to put it away.
Without the downs, we really can’t appreciate the ups. Besides, it sounds as if you’re still on the positive side, so go with that 🙂
I’m just trying to remember the ups in the midst of the downs.
Hi Sydney, looks like you had a not so bad time with more ups than downs. Its the downs that make us value the ups. I hope the dream agent signs you soon. Looking forward to your good news. Fingers crossed for you.
Rachna Chhabria
Co-host IWSG
Rachna’s Scriptorium
I just recalled my manuscript from a beta and my two editors. I’ve never been so frustrated with myself in my life 🙂
I like your list of up and downs. I should try that. Maybe it will make me more grateful for all my ups.
Then again, maybe not, right ?:)
Sounds like it was more up than down. A shame about the critique group though, but you’ll find better – you don’t need them! I am so super critical of my own work, that I do loads of edits before anyone else gets to read it – yes, there are still issues… There are ALWAYS issues 🙂 Hope October just goes steadily up for you!
Thanks Annalisa. Your right. Just not the group for me.
Wow, what a crazy month you’ve had! Good luck with your edits and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you on your agent quest!
Thanks EM. I appreciate that.
Looks like your ups far outweighed the downs, so that’s great! 🙂
You’ve been much more productive in your writing than I. Offline writing has been slow for me with the exception of taking notes and doing some outlines for a few screenplays that I want to pen. Much of my writing these days has been done online due to my schedule and just not making time to work on the screenplays. I deal with the ups and downs of being a writer by trying to focus on what can be done without stressing out too much about the things that are a bit challenging to conquer.
Wow honey, thats a lot of Up & Downs! 😉
But, GO YOU, those Up’s are BRILLIANT! 🙂
Good luck!
xx
Thanks Vikki.
At least there are a lot of UPs amongst those DOWNs! Congratulations on the requests – that’s brilliant!