#IWSG: Success As A Writer

 

It's Insecure Writer's Support Group Day! If you'd like to join, go HERE.

Many thanks to our host Alex Cavanaugh, and our co-hosts this month:  Rebecca Douglass, T. Powell Coltrin @Journaling Woman, Natalie Aguirre, Karen Lynn, and C. Lee McKenzie!

This month's optional question is:

How do you define success as a writer? Is it holding your book in your hand? Having a short story published? Making a certain amount of income from your writing?

This is a tough one. Success means different things to different people, and certainly there is the financial aspect to consider. For me, I'd like to support myself as a writer. That would be real success! 

However, I'm also happy to write and publish and have my work appreciated, even with no great financial gain.

So, speaking of success...my short story Elephant in the Tomb was runner up over at Women On Writing, and I was beyond thrilled to win a $25 Amazon card, along with an interview, and my story published (you can read it here). 

Now I call that a success! 

I felt as if I'd won the Pulitzer Prize!

What about you?

What does success as a writer look like to you? 

IWSG: Taken by Surprise

Today is Insecure Writer's Support Group Day. This is a monthly event where we share the ups and downs of our writing journeys, and encourage and support our fellow writers on theirs. We post on the first Wednesday of every month. Please go HERE if you'd like to sign up.

The awesome co-hosts for this month's posting of the IWSG are Renee Scattergood, Sadira Stone, Jacqui Murray, Tamara Narayan, and LG Keltner! And thank you so much to our founding ninja father and host, Alex Cavanaugh. 

If you're struggling with a topic, here is the optional question for this month's consideration: 

Has your writing ever taken you by surprise? 

(For example, a positive and belated response to a submission you'd 

forgotten about or an ending you never saw coming?)

What flows from the fingers to the page is often surprising, even for those--like me--who use an outline. Because an outline is only a guideline that I follow until my muse takes me in another direction. Sometimes it's a power struggle though, and I have to compromise. 

In my current WiP, my victim aka "dearly departed dead guy" keeps speaking like a 1940s gangster. He is NOT a gangster. He's a modern day dance instructor whose dance studio specializes in themed dances for special occasions. 

But sometimes, when they insist, you have to compromise. DDDGs most recent wedding gig had a Roaring Twenties theme, and in fact, he sort of died in the line of duty (dancing duty, that is) still wearing his 1920s duds. So I'm allowing him a few 1920s phrases of the Molls and Dolls variety so he'll cooperate. 

What about you? 

Any surprising (aka willful) character struggles? 

Surprise acceptance letters?

Unforeseen twists?