Welcome to the first posting of 2022 for the Insecure Writer's Support Group! I hope everyone's had a restful and healthy holiday season and is in a good place for a great year of writing. If anyone is new to the group, its purpose is to offer a safe space where writers can share doubts and insecurities without fear of being judged. Hosted as ever by Alex J. Cavanaugh, this month's co-hosts are Erika Beebe, Olga Godim, Sandra Cox, Sarah Foster and Chemist Ken.
Christmas and New Year were pretty relaxed here at Wilford Towers and weren't marked by adverse illness, which I'm thankful for. I do go into 2022 with several queries outstanding on my standalone YA sci-fi novel, but I'd rather see these as opportunities than insecurities. I've managed to garner some valuable feedback to hopefully strengthen my query and will be revising and sending out more this month.
Meanwhile, I'm starting the process of getting the final part of my dystopian trilogy readied for publication, which includes sending it out to beta readers. The bulk of this book was written by the end of 2019, but I struggled with the ending for a while, even having to rewrite it after a data loss. 2019 was also when the second part of the series was published, so I'm wary of the gap extending for too long. I did also fight shy of releasing during the pandemic, but such concerns seem increasingly meaningless. In fact I think we need the escape of a good story more than ever.
Finally, I'm continuing with a new WIP I started towards the end of last year, which I've enjoyed dabbling with over the festive period. This one is set in the near future, centres on trans characters and features a heavy sci-fi twist on the process of transitioning. It ventures into unknown territory for me and I'm enjoying the research and writing so far.
Let's have a look at this month's optional IWSG question.
What's the one thing about your writing career you regret the most? Were you able to overcome it?
I'd rather not focus on regrets at the start of a new year. The only thing I would say I'd regret was I didn't start taking writing seriously earlier. I started writing my first book at 26 - I'd had a few false starts before that but nothing went anywhere, which was probably out of doubt that I could actually do it. At some point you have to push through that doubt and just keep going. Like most people's first attempts, that book didn't come to much but it gives you the confidence to do another, and then another... in fact this year it'll be 15 years since I started down this road, which is strange to think about. I might do something to celebrate!
In the meantime let's look ahead to a very exciting annual event which is coming around the corner fast.
8:00 am - 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time
Create a Twitter-length pitch for your completed and polished manuscript and leave room for genre, age, and the hashtag. On January 26, 2022, Tweet your pitch. If your pitch receives a favorite/heart from a publisher/agent check their submission guidelines and send your requested query.
Many writers have seen their books published from a Twitter pitch - it’s a quick and easy way to put your manuscript in front of publishers and agents.
See full rules here - and don't forget to check out the full list of IWSG participants here.
24 comments:
A lot of people say they regret not starting earlier. I agree with you that focusing on regrets isn't a good practice. Good luck with the querying this month.
Yep, most posts I've read so far (as well as mine) mention wishing they'd started writing earlier. If you started at 26, you started well ahead of me. Wishing you a wonderful 2022 and positive results from those queries!
I started back writing about the same time and while I wish it were sooner, we still started, right?
Science fiction? Interesting!
I read that same regret on many post's today. I don't have that regret per say as I think I've grown a lot as a writer, and I think I needed too.
No regrets for the New Year! Same here. Happy New Year and good luck with the querying.
Nick, its great that you don't want to start the new year with regrets. I like the attitude. Like you I wish I had taken my writing seriously much earlier in life.
Sounds like you have a lot of things you're working on. That's great!
A lot of people had regrets about not starting earlier. But at least you started. That's the important thing.
Wishing you all the best in 2022!
All the luck with your querying, Nick! Bravo to you to be at that point. Looks like you've got your year planned with querying and a new book in the works.
Yes, I wished I'd started to take my writing seriously earlier. But with 5 kids to raise, the oldest being special needs, and my attending college during their growing-up years, there wasn't much time. Still, regrets don't help anyone. You just move on. Thanks for a great post!
Glad to hear you had a relaxed and healthy holiday season. That's a great way to end one year and start a new one.
Good luck with your writing in 2022!
We had a similar holiday experience.
I started at 13 and didn't really pursue it fully until my later thirties. Doesn't matter when you start just that you do.
Yes! Let's keep moving forward. You seem to be really busy. That's a good thing. And here's to a productive 2022!
Congrats on the querying. It's been an odd couple of years, that's for sure. We were all kind of leery in 2020, but I think we've gotten over most of that now. Good luck.
That seems to be a common refrain, Nick. We all should have started earlier. It's only when you first publish you really begin learning the ropes - trad or self. Here's to a great 2022 for you! Thanks for being such a great judge for WEP.
You're right about regrets: they are not positive and all in the past besides. Let's focus on hopes and dreams instead; at least they lead somewhere.
You've got some good stuff coming up! Fiction is definitely important during the pandemic. It's not ending any time soon, so we need to move forward. Good luck with your current projects!
The Warrior Muse
Hi Nick - so pleased life has treated you fairly well and long may it last ... giving you extra energy for your writing. All the best for this coming year - cheers Hilary
You wrote: we need the escape of a good story. Boy, do we ever! During the past 2 years, I spent any spare time reading. You're right about not focusing on regrets. Rather, we should look ahead. Best wishes.
I didn't start writing until I was in my 30's.
Research is time consuming, but it can be interesting and fun. Some of my best scenes have been inspired by research.
Best of luck for 2022!
I am wishing you all the best of luck with finishing up the final book in your trilogy. Happy New Year!
Don't regret not starting earlier. For one thing, you can't fix that. For another, most of what we write before then is dreck (you mentioned writing stuff and it not going anywhere... some of that is a lack of life experience, in my opinion). Anyway, here's to 2022... it has to be better than the last couple of years, right?
Hey Nick, Happy New Year! I love your focus on the positive! Congrats on being almost done with your dystopian novel!
Twitter pitch sounds fun!
My regret was nearly the same as yours. You sound like you have great plans for the upcoming year. Good luck with all of them.
Happy New Year, Nick!
You have been busy over the last couple of years, good luck with the querying. I think I'm now at the point with my writing and my business that I'm just pushing through my doubt and keeping going. For too long I've let the dreaded imposter syndrome manage and control what I do, but no more. I am in control!
I hope you continue to enjoy your new venture with your latest WIP.
I agree, no time for regrets. I'm trying to stay uber-positive this year :)
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