Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
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! Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post.
Now let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
The awesome co-hosts for the August 02nd posting of the IWSG are: Kate Larkindale, Diane Burton, Janet Alcorn, and Shannon Lawrence!
Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.
Remember, the question is optional!
August 02nd question: Have you ever written something that afterwards you felt
conflicted about? If so, did you let it stay how it was, take it out, or
rewrite it?
Can you
recall a book you’ve read over and over again? You’ve probably highlighted
phrases and sentences that you love, and/or scribbled notes in the margins of this
book. This signifies a single truth:
These words
made you feel something.
And it was
likely some form of discomfort.
Yes, we want
the warm and fuzzies; words that uplift us and stir our soul.
But some of
the most effective writing also makes us feel a bit unsettled and shift in our
seats. It makes us confront truths that we don’t want to hear or perhaps didn’t
know we needed to hear. There is an inherent connection with writing that has
an undercurrent of unease.
So when you feel conflicted about something that you’ve written, ask yourself, why am I so conflicted about this writing?
Remember that you don’t have to show these words to anybody; but they are important, as they form part of your writerly growth as you begin to dig deeper and deeper to reveal your more authentic self.
Whether you let it stay how it was, take it out, or rewrite it – it doesn’t matter. What IS important, is that you dared to venture into territory that made you feel uncomfortable.
Dig deeper and embrace the words that make you feel conflicted. You will probably surprise yourself and in the process you will become a stronger writer.
14 comments:
Woah! First comment! Huzzah!
I agree with you. Even if you don't show those words to anyone, you grow every time you challenge yourself to write something that makes you uncomfortable. As long as the discomfort furthers the plot along and contributes to the character's growth and the story's development, I say leave it in!
Have a wonderful Wednesday!
The uncomfortable stuff is what leads to great stories.
My problem is that I wasn't uncomfortable until someone else pointed stuff out to me. Guess that's just another way I'm blind to my own issues.
So well said, Michelle. All the words that you wrestle onto the page are important and how you deal with them is where the creative crafting comes in.
Yes, well said. Dig deeper.
I so agree. We grow when we push ourselves to write about the uncomfortable things we really want to write about, even if they don't make their way into a published manuscript.
Well said!
Excellent points and insight.
You're so right!
Hi Michelle - well said words ... so much we can't appreciate in our own writing, or words we use - we need to learn from comments, from editors and from early critical readers. But don't overwork ... the authorship becomes 'stale' ... we need to open ourselves up to others - cheers Hilary
Great advice about digging deeper. I particularly like "What IS important, is that you dared to venture into territory that made you feel uncomfortable."
Well said, Michelle. What did Mark Twain write?
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor.
Thanks for such a great post.
https://rolandyeomans.blogspot.com/2023/08/why-writing-in-crosshairs-iwsg-post.html
Love this! Venturing into the unknown is fun and terrifying - and worth it!
A deeply impactful post, Michelle. Thank you for sharing your insights and advice.
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