IWSGThe Insecure Writers Support Group #IWSG posts every first Wednesday of the month.  Today’s question:

What pitfalls would you warn other writers to avoid on their publication journey?

I’d like to thank our Co-Hosts today: Erika Beebe, Sandra Hoover, Susan Gourley, and Lee Lowery!

Please head over to their blogs to support them.

Pitfalls on the way to publication

I think my biggest pitfall was not paying enough attention to my editors’ comments on the Perihelix.  However good you think your book is, there is always room for improvement.  And because you know what’s happening, doesn’t guarantee you’ve explained it properly to your reader – or made them want to come with you on the journey to find out.

The other biggest pitfall is neatly summed up in an email I saw at Camp Nano, quoting Patricia Cornwell.  Camp Adviser and author Jessica Strawser posted this message to encourage us through our insecurities:

I once had the privilege of interviewing Patricia Cornwell—who was adamant that insecurity can be good for a writer. “I’ll be honest,” she said. “When somebody has written their first novel and they tell me how fantastic it is, I know it’s probably not very good. It’s usually the person who says, ‘I’m not sure what I think…’ and then you look at the thing and go, ‘Now that is really special.’ So it’s not bad to be a little insecure. It makes you work harder and pay attention.” When I’m pushing through a draft and that hopeless feeling creeps in, I remember this. Feeling uncertain could be a sign of real magic! You’ll never know if you don’t see it through.

I don’t think I’m overconfident of my books, but then again, I could do with turning my insecurity into a bit of magic, I think.

Write – Edit – Publish

WEP + IWSGThe IWSG has joined forces with WEP, and they’re super excited about it!

Not sure what it is? It’s an online writing community (like ours!) that posts to a theme the third Wednesday of every second month. WEP stands for Write…Edit…Publish. Your post can be fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, as long as it’s 1000 words or less. The August WEP challenge theme is Change of Heart.

For more information, go to the WEP page on Denise Covey’s blog.

IWSG Anthology

Today’s the day for the announcement!  The theme of next year’s anthology will be out on the IWSG’s own post today, so check out the theme and closing date (usually early November).

Have you read this year’s anthology?  Tick Tock…..

Rebecca has a great story in it, so buy it just for hers!

As for me, I’m going back to sorting out a few of my pitfalls that I’d rather not talk about in an attempt to make my writing less boring.  That’s how it feels today, at any rate.  Could be due to the moon being on the wane, though.

August #IWSG Day – Pitfalls and publication
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25 thoughts on “August #IWSG Day – Pitfalls and publication

  • 1 August, 2018 at 8:14 am
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    Insecurity is good, in moderation. And confidence is good too, in moderation! 🙂

    • 1 August, 2018 at 8:23 am
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      I wish I could get my eating back into moderation too. It’s one of the first signs of depression setting in…

    • 1 August, 2018 at 8:22 am
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      Gravatars can be tricky things. I eventually managed to get mine to point at this blog, but it can still send wordpress.com users to the old website. Try clicking on it, logging in and adding other contact sites.

  • 1 August, 2018 at 3:05 pm
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    I think sometimes we need to sing our own praises and sometimes we need to let others tell us it’s good. It’s all about balance! And it’s so hard to take criticism even if it is the totally constructive kind. I think that’s what causes the most trouble when working with an editor.

    • 3 August, 2018 at 9:15 am
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      I’ve never been good at accepting criticism. I mean, I’m perfect, so why criticise me? lol

  • 1 August, 2018 at 3:30 pm
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    I definitely don’t suffer from overconfidence with my writing 🙂 All the best to you with sorting out your pitfalls.

    • 3 August, 2018 at 9:16 am
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      Despite being perfect (see above) I have a terrible inferiority complex. People just don’t understand the agonies I go through! Thanks for visiting 🙂

  • 1 August, 2018 at 4:49 pm
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    I love your insight with feedback from our editors. It’s so tough because we love what we write and it all came from our hearts and minds. It’s true though. A first novel is wonderful. It also means we have still much to learn 🙂
    Happy IWSG day 🙂

    • 3 August, 2018 at 9:18 am
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      The trouble is, I don’t seem to have learnt it by the time the tenth novel is ‘ready’. Then again, anything worth doing is always there to be improved upon.

  • 1 August, 2018 at 5:40 pm
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    I commented earlier, but my iPad ate it. Just wanted to note that some of my most confident bits have been in great need of revision… and so have some of the ones I thought were crap, or had some doubts about. I’m actually learning to tell the difference between a recognition of faults that need correcting and the insecurity that comes whenever I say something is ready. You’ve seen some of the results of that confusion 🙂
    —Rebecca
    My IWSG Post

    • 3 August, 2018 at 9:14 am
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      My iPad (and my Mac) have been eating my comments lately too. I think it’s to do with whether WordPress’s Jetpack add-in has either just had, or is due an upgrade. But it’s never the same twice, and it varies from site to site.

    • 3 August, 2018 at 9:18 am
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      Definitely. Thanks for coming over, Patricia.

  • 2 August, 2018 at 7:07 pm
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    Explaining it properly to the reader is where we often trip up. We can see it so clearly but that vision doesn’t always translate to the page.
    Thanks for mentioning the WEP partnership and the anthology contest!

    • 3 August, 2018 at 9:20 am
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      You’re very welcome, Alex.
      I think Rebecca’s trick of reading it out loud helps you understand where the reader has got lost! Especially if you record it as well.

  • 2 August, 2018 at 8:54 pm
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    Wow, an interview with Patricia Cornwell – her views on insecurity were reassuring.

    • 3 August, 2018 at 9:21 am
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      Yes, I found them so. And I was that person who thought my first book was perfect… of course I’d like to rewrite it now.

      • 5 August, 2018 at 8:40 pm
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        I wonder how many writers wish that? Or, rather, if there are any who don’t.

  • 2 August, 2018 at 9:29 pm
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    I’ve often wondered that, about humility or pride when talking to an agent. Thanks for that from Cornwell.

    • 3 August, 2018 at 9:21 am
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      Thanks for dropping by, Jacqui – and I loved your post of the month.

  • 3 August, 2018 at 2:48 am
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    Good reminder of our own stumbles – I was over-confident with my debut and missed bits that I presumed readers would understand, of course. Everyone knows about ‘gambling lambs’ (that fleece you.)

    • 3 August, 2018 at 9:23 am
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      lol !!! I have blogged several times about mistakes in books that really should have been picked up and fixed. Generally in the same week as reviewing the book kindly.

  • 4 August, 2018 at 5:13 am
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    You have to pay attention to your editor. Ultimately it’s up to you to say yes or no but that extra set of eyes are golden.

    • 4 August, 2018 at 7:36 pm
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      Absolutely. The second editor’s notes made more sense, though.

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