Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!
Every month, the IWSG provides an optional question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt advice, insight, a personal experience or story.
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
The awesome co-hosts for the July 7 posting of the IWSG are Pat Garcia, Victoria Marie Lees, and Louise – Fundy Blue!
Before I get to this month's optional question, I have to report (with great excitement and not a little relief) that after weeks of struggle, and my rather despairing post last Wednesday, the new novel has fallen into line and I have begun the draft! I couldn't be more pleased. Though the writing isn't pouring forth it is coming, and that's huge. I'm managing about 1100 words/day when I'm able to write at all, which is well behind my usual NaNo output but way above anything in the last year.
In other news, many of my books are participating in the Smashwords Summer/Winter sale.
This month's optional question is: What would make you quit writing?
I choose to turn the question on its head and ask instead, "Why do you continue writing?"
There are plenty of reasons for any of us to quit writing. Thinking about my own reasons for twenty seconds or so gives me a good list: Sales suck. I am traveling so much it's hard to find time. Grief makes it hard to focus and makes it even harder to write about death (i.e. murder mysteries). Writing is work. It's hot. I need another cup of coffee... the list is endless. When my kids were little, I didn't write for long periods, because I was too busy and too tired--and because I hadn't learned the tricks to write when you have no time or energy. But I didn't stop entirely.
So why do I keep writing?
The answer might actually lie in my report above: because when it's happening, there's no excitement like it. It's addictive, the stories really do want to be written, even when they are hard to start.
There are other reasons, too: writing has become my identity, in many important ways. If I'm not writing, I don't have a lot left.
So: I keep writing because I need to. The only thing I can think of that would really make me stop permanently would be disability.
How about you? Why do you keep writing?
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