Category: IWSG

Toi’s contributions to the monthly posting for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group on the 1st Wednesday of each month.

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IWSG

#IWSG September 2014: Transitions

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Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click the image to learn more or sign up.

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I often how well others handle transitions, those times spent in between one part of your life and other. I don’t think I handle them too badly, but I know I have room for improvement. I also wonder how one identifies whether they are in a place of transition rather than a consistent state of being. For instance, in terms of relationships, there the dating/courtship period and there’s marriage; the transition between the two is called an engagement. What do you call when you’re in a place somewhere between being a newbie/novice and being on top/an expert in your field? I feel like that’s where I am.

I’m been writing and blogging for about four years now and I’m still no expert and definitely not on top, but I’m no novice either. Sometimes I count my goals to give me perspective, but lately I’ve learned that counting them isn’t enough. I also have to reevaluate to make sure to pursuing what truly best and simply chasing after something for all the wrong reasons.

I guess the point of all this is that I feel like I’m ready to move on to bigger and better things, but I’m just not there yet. So, do I continue down this path the same way I’ve been going, try something new, or try to stopping wanting so much? I seriously don’t see the latter as a viable option.

Do you feel like you are in a transition or have you been in one? How did you get out? I’d seriously love to know.

After listening to me ponder my own query, here’s something that you may or may not be interested in and that may put a smile on your face. I’ve just relaunched my You Tube channel with all new programming and just aired my first episode. You can check it out here if you’d like.

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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts: Laura, Mark Koopmans, Shah Wharton, and Sheena-Kay Graham!

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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #151).

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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IWSG

#IWSG August 2014: Buyer’s Remorse

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Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click the image to learn more or sign up.

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I can’t imagine what it’s like to buy a home for the first time and the thought of it gives me the willies. I thought I was doing something pretty special a few years back when I bought a .com domain name for my blog, but that was just kid stuff. I’ve recently made the move to self-hosting and I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed. In the cyber world and blogosphere, self-hosting is like buying a home on the web and realizing the upkeep and maintenance that comes with that.

I put it off for as long as I could, but I knew I was limiting myself by not going to self-hosting. It’s not essential to self-host in order to be a great blogger, but for my specific blog needs, self-hosting was my only option and now I’m faced with a whole new reality.

  1. The financial investment. Many people may think that the few dollars a month it costs to host a website these days isn’t a big deal, but when funds are tight, everything little bit matters. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, I’m not poor or struggling to get by, but my family of two lives on a very strict budget and this move to self-hosting has been felt.

  2. The learning curve. I have some many things to learn and unlearn to be able to run my site smoothly. I’m a quick learner, but my execution is a bit slow. I only hope I get a good grasps on thing before I ending doing something damaging in the long run.

  3. Deadlines. I knew I had to make this move and was smart enough to do while I’m on vacation, but my vacation is coming to an end. I want to have a clear handle on things before I go back to work so I don’t become overwhelmed and get backed up.

  4. Editing and coding. I used to love coding, I even studied it in college, but then I quickly lost the thrill. Guess what, I’m back to coding and I’m not sure if I like it or hate it, but I know I’m not going to be stuck in the middle. Like it or not, it’s part of the package. I guess I need to add this to my learning curve and pick up a refresher book on HTML and Java.

  5. All in all, after getting over the initial terror and anxiety, I’m actually excited to see where this will all lead. If I manage things well, perhaps I’ll even be able to find more time to write…in the end that’s what this all boils down to anyway. I’m an author and this is my blog, whether self-hosted or not.

Do any of you self-host? Did you start out that way or was it a transition? I’d seriously love to know.

After listening to me whine, here’s something that you may or may not be interested in and that may put a smile on your face. I’m putting my indie published, sci-fi novella, Legend of the Boy, on sale as an Amazon countdown deal. See my side panel for details. Summer’s coming to an end. Live it up while you can.

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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts: Sarah Foster, Joylene Nowell Butler, Lily Eva, and Rhonda Albom!

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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #155).

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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IWSG

#IWSG July 2014: Good help is hard to find.

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Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click the image to learn more or sign up.

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I never seem to be at a loss for insecurities, but every so often I do manage to focus on the positive. Unfortunately, this is not one of those times. My current insecurity, well actually it’s more of a worry, is my inability to find interested and reliable persons to help or support me in my pursuits. You may be thinking that this is simply a small and personal problem I need to overcome, but I’m really not asking that much, at least I don’t think I am.

The problem at hand is finding good help. I have stories that are finished to a point that I can do nothing else with them, but they are not ready for publication. I know enough about my process and my skills to know when my work is ready and when it’s not. The problem that I’m currently faced with is finding beta readers. I have a few, but so far they have been M.I.A. I need feedback and have no idea what to do. I’ve paid for beta services before, but that was only in conjunction with final editing fees. When my work is ready, I’ll shell out the money for professional editing, but for now, I just want…no, I need feedback, and can’t get it.

I wish that was my only problem, but of course, there’s more. I need art work. I’m fortunate enough to have some skills with photography and graphic design. I can do a lot of small things on my own, but when it comes to illustrations, I need someone else for that. I, again, have an illustrator, but he works on a time-table that is beyond my understanding. I don’t want to leave him behind and move on, but I may have to…I just wonder how much it’s going to cost me?

Do you have trouble finding good help? How would you go about trying to find new beta readers and possibly an illustrator? I’d seriously love to know.

After listening to me whine, here’s something that you may or may not be interested in and that may put a smile on your face. I’m putting my indie published short story collection, Unexplained on sale as an Amazon countdown deal. See my side panel for details. I hope everyone is having a lovely and relatively stress free summer.

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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts:  Krista McLaughlin, Kim Van Sickler, Heather Gardner, and Hart Johnson!

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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #162).

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords