Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
The Insecure Writer’s Support Group was started by writer, Alex J. Cavanaugh aka The Blog Father. 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.
Join us https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html
September 1 question – 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?
The awesome co-hosts for the September 1 posting of the IWSG are Rebecca Douglass, T. Powell Coltrin @Journaling Woman, Natalie Aguirre, Karen Lynn, and C. Lee McKenzie!
We all have different ideas on what defines success. As a writer, these are my Top 4 –
1. Permission
Writing is about exposure. Giving ourselves permission to express ourselves and command an audience can be crazy-making. It’s different for everyone. I keep my eye out for what it means to each artist. For some it’s about getting traditionally published. Others, it’s receiving public feedback from readers. Like the dead beauty queen DMV-styled receptionist in Beetlejuice said, “It’s all very personal.”
Permission gives us the deep inner strength to persevere through the inevitable pitfalls. Sleeplessness. Time away from more lucrative endeavors. Guilt free demands for isolation to meet a deadline while others around you protest. The list goes on. And on. And on.
2. Finding Your Voice
It takes a lot of bad writing to get to the good stuff. We tend to imitate our favorite writers, until their voices slowly fade away as our own unique sound and expressions emerge. You know it when you got it. The eureka! moment exists.
3. Collaboration
Nothing sends a shiver up my spine like another artist reaching out to support my podcast, shorts and novel endeavors. I’ve collaborated with directors, writers, musicians and visual artists. I’ve been working on a graphic novel with an artist I respect and admire, spoken with a screenwriter and director overseas and gotten comments on articles I’ve written from authors who concur. This might seem small to others, but makes me want to pinch myself every time.
4. Vision
Getting labor out to an audience you’re confident represents your strengths and vision is no small feat. I have bad work I wish to bury forever. I’m set on throwing piles of better work on top of it. It’s a struggle. Having a path cleared and a steady pace to run it defines success for me.
How do you define success as a writer?