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.
Optional Monthly Question: What pitfalls would you warn other writers to avoid on their publication journey?
The main pitfall I think many authors succumb to, myself included, is asking the wrong people for help or not asking for help at all. I learned the hard way that just because someone looks shiny and new doesn’t mean they are.
Some authors are great at building up an audience and having that look of success, but that doesn’t mean they have the skills to guide or mentor you. It sounds odd to write it out this way, but the best authors to help you are the ones who have either a giving spirit or a teaching spirit. The only way to find out if they can teach you is to spend time getting to know them. I took advice from authors who were further along in their career than I was, but their advice wasn’t meant for someone at my level. A new author and a long-established author aren’t working at the same level and may need to use different strategies.
Plus, there have been so many times where I’ve not asked for help simply because of all the bad experiences I’ve had working with others. Like it or not, though, sometimes you must take that risk and reach out; especially if it’s something that’s going to make you better at your craft.
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Congratulations to Jemima Pett on her newsletter spotlight.
Today is also WEP Challenge posting day. You can check out my entry my clicking the image below.
Over at A Small Gang of Authors, we’ve reached 156,166 views and heading toward 200,000 soon. If you guess when we’ll reach that goal, you could win $50. Pet Loki to make your guess.
The IWSG Book Club discussion on description featuring the title, The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe is still going strong if you want to check it out.
Our book selection for August/September is: The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr
This one is for our memoir writers and anyone who has ever thought of writing a memoir. The discussion will start September 19th and will go to the end of the month, but it will be up indefinitely, so you can hop in whenever you’re able to join.
Oh, and there’s a GIVEAWAY!
Book club members have the chance to win a paperback copy of Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. This is a used copy, but it’s in great condition. To enter, go to this Rafflecopter Form. It’s free to enter, but you have to be a book club member. We will verify this, so join us on Goodreads!
One winner will be randomly selected on August 8th, and Chrys Fey will email the winner to get mailing details. All info will be kept private.
Now, on to the personal updates.
Well now, that was quite a bit, so I’ll keep this short.
I’m enjoying my new job.
I’m writing more often, which has been a major struggle for me.
I’m illustrating more often too.
I’m working to get back on to YouTube; I really miss it.
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Any pitfalls you’d warn writers against?
Interested in the IWSG Book Club discussion or giveaway?
Have you done any writing lately?
Any tips on how to promote my scavenger hunt?
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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts:
Erika Beebe,
Sandra Hoover,
Susan Gourley, and
Lee Lowery!
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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share more inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #55).
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
