July Is In Full Swing. Pitchers Ready?

Welcome to the start of another month and with it a chance to let your insecurities fly free.

The awesome co-hosts for the July 3 posting of the IWSG are Nicki Elson, Juneta Key, Tamara Narayan, and Patricia Lynne!

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2018 is now half over and that could bring forth some reflection. Are you where you wanted to be? Where do you see yourself at the end of the year? Maybe with a winning pitch? You could make it happen in a few weeks. The #IWSGPit is nearly upon us. Authors have caught the eyes of publishers and agents during the last two pitches. This time all eyes could be on you. Are you prepared?

Find all the details here. Lots of time left to get those pitches just right for the over 1000 agents and publishers watching.

Will you be one of the over 5000 tweets, or more, for #IWSGPit like last time?

That also leads into the optional question for the month.

What are your ultimate writing goals, and how have they changed over time (if at all)?

Time is constant change. It can bring more or less. Goals can align or be completely upended. But there is always a chance for more. For instance.

The genre is young adult romance and the theme will be announced September 5th.

Now it is time to let your insecurities flow for another month. Let us know in whatever way you choose. We are here to leave you secure in the knowledge that your insecurities can be shared with our expanding community. 

Do You Substitute They For I?

At some point we all find ourselves comparing this to that or that to this. You can substitute anything in for that or this in your life. Sometimes it may even be favorable. It could give you the best bang for your buck in many cases. But when it comes to writing have you ever noticed how a lot of it hinders more than helps?

If you are anywhere on the internet, which authors tend to be in some form because you need a platform, then you have come across the inevitable they thought. At some point it could even become all about they and less about I. Life shouldn't be all I, I, I but sometimes I, I, I is just what you need to see your true progress and keep going.

So how do we go from they to I?

1. They write 5000 words a day. I wrote 50 words today. Whatever your word count, whether it be 50 or 5000, you pumped words out today. Focus on that. You may not have written as much as someone else, but I guarantee you that you wrote more words than millions of other people.

2. They have 50 books released. I have 2 books released. One book is an accomplishment. Someone else may have more or less but you did it. You published a book. That is a feat that so many others will never accomplish.

3. They have a publisher. I keep getting denied. They may have a publisher. They may have one better than yours. But how long do you think it took them to get that? Chances are that they got denied just as many times as you. You will learn and grow with each denial. All your hard work will be that much more worth it when you get that first yes. I have to keep trying will keep you on the track of I and off the track of they.

4. They have an agent. I don't have one. This is all a matter of preference. You could get the same result without one. You may not. Depends on if you think you have the connections and know how of many of the agents. But again, you have to keep trying if you want an agent like they have.

5. They have 50,000 followers. I have 50. Followers are all a matter of perseverance. They didn't instantly get 50,000 followers. Chances are it took them years to do that. Nothing will happen overnight. You have 50. That is a start. Those 50 will continue to grow if you work at it.

6. They have more time. I can barely find any time. They have more time because they make time. Yes, there may be many other tasks that you have that they don't. Yes, you may have more of a full plate. No, you don't barely have any time. You just choose to do other things with your time. Carve out a slot of time and then it soon goes from I have no time to I have time.

7. They have more funds. I'm on a fixed income. Only spend what you can afford. Some have more than others and always will. You may not get there as fast as one with a lot of disposable income, but while they are throwing money at everything to see what works, you will be searching out the best options for what disposable income you have.

8. They have more ideas. I only have a few. But you have ideas. The more you write, the more you will find ideas may show. One little scene can give you a whole new idea for a book. Pretty soon you will find that you have plenty of ideas.

9. They have more experience. I just started. Experience comes from starting. You have to take that first step no matter what you do in life. The more you do, the more you learn. Also it doesn't hurt to ask they for any advice or use resources like IWSG to your full advantage.

10. They have such luck. I have none. This one is all a state of mind. Kind of goes down into poor pitiful me territory. Luck = hard work. As far as I've always been concerned luck is a word made up by humans to try and make themselves feel better. Better about what? Better about someone else getting what they what. That someone, usually, worked for it. Ditch luck and do the work.

In the end you will find it is a state of mind. The less you care about they and the more you focus on I, the more you will see your own progress. And you never know, maybe you'll become the they to other writers who should be focusing on I.

What do you do to stop the comparing? Has the they over I ever crept in and left you discouraged in your writing endeavors?