Insecure Writer’s Support Group: December

Once again, it’s time for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Post!

A writer’s life is one of insecurities. I’d imagine even a New York Times Bestselling author – perhaps especially a New York Bestselling author – worries that their writing just isn’t good enough, that they can never equal what they’ve already produced. Writing is hard work. Finding the perfect word or phrase, trimming the dead wood, meeting those word counts. It’s nerve-wracking.

And it’s perfectly normal to feel as if your writing isn’t as good as it could be. And you know what? It’s probably not. Nobody’s perfect, and neither is any manuscript. You could always do one more edit, one more rewrite. But like any other piece of art, there comes a time when it’s as good as you can get it right now. And you’ve got to take the chance and let it go. Your later work may indeed be better, but if you don’t put something out there, you’ll never see anything published. You’ll spend your life reworking that one story.

It’s hard getting those form rejections – especially if you find the editor of the anthology used his creative writing students to short-list the stories instead of using experienced writers to do the job. Yeah, that one smarted – “creative writing” is NOT equal to science-fiction and I challenge that editor to show me his kids can spot a highly original story that’s NOT “literary.” What really smarts is I sort of know the guy from DragonCon and like his books.

Well, I’m turning, tail between my legs, to a new story this week, for an anthology about parenthood in SFF. It’s called “Don’t Touch That!” and I’m hoping my velyr story will fit the bill for them. They only have two slots open though, so if I don’t make it, it’s not going to kill me. I’ll just rework the thing (like I’m doing with all my rejections) and try a magazine instead.

Insecurity needn’t cripple you as a writer. Just do your best and keep on throwing your manuscripts out there.

December 2 question – Are there months or times of the year that you are more productive with your writing than other months, and why?

I don’t think I’m a seasonal writer. My “best” seasons are Spring and Fall, but that doesn’t always mean I’m more productive with my writing during those times. Sometimes when I’m not feeling my best, I’m able to force a great story out. It’s like pulling teeth sometimes, but often those stories are better (IMHO) than the ones I dash off with my muse on my shoulder.

I’m plagued by Seasonal Depression during the winter, so I spend an hour or so every morning in front of a natural sunlight panel so I wake up properly. Otherwise, even if I’m writing, I tend to doze off during the afternoon (with my fingers on the keyboard and often awakening to a line of gibberish I’ve “typed” in my sleep). However, I’ve been writing steadily up to now and feel as if I can continue doing so after Fall is over. Down here in the Deep South, it’s not really Winter until after Christmas, weather-wise, but I tend to start my light therapy when the time changes. It’s not a shot of espresso, but it does keep me from nodding off so easily.

I’m one of those writers who feels like “If you show up day after day, the muse will start putting in an appearance as well.” I think if you wait for “inspiration” to strike, you may be waiting a long time. If you think of writing as a job and do it every day, your “inspiration” will fall in line and you can produce quality work when you need it. As Jack London said: You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.

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