INSECURE WRITER'S SUPPORT GROUP

JANUARY

Happy New Year! As a member of the Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG), it was suggested this month that we introduce ourselves and share our goals for the new year. If you didn't know IWSG is about an amazing community that shares on the first Wednesday every month. If you are a writer (in any form) I suggest that you definitely check out the group!

Here we go... Hi! My name is Kristy and I am a writer and blogger. I live in Maryland where we can experience all four seasons of weather in one week! Born and raised, my blood runs orange and purple as a Baltimore Orioles and Ravens fan (so excited we are in the Playoffs!) This is one of four blogs that I write, operate, and create in. As a self-published author, I love helping other authors and blogs by sharing and promoting. I know just how hard it is marketing yourself and it is one of the attributes that I love most about this community - how we can come together to help support one another.

GOALS

In the past I have tried to spread out and help as many blogs as I could manage. Within the last year I learned what I didn't want to continue to do for 2015. For a while I was promoting Erotica and such, I don't mind as long as the excerpts are appropriate. I think you can still show your work in a flattering way without including explicit sex scenes for an excerpt, just like any good seduction - tempt them to the prize and then let them be rewarded (by reading the book). That's just my personal opinion though and applies to the teasers too. How do you feel about this topic?

INSECURE WRITER'S SUPPORT GROUP

Blogger's Side

Have you ever asked a blogger for a review or help and you received a reply about how busy they are or how back-logged they have become? Well, maybe this means I can finally consider myself a blogger because I feel that I am just that, back-logged! I just released my second book, I have two WIP's (Works In Progress) that I'm still writing in and that I want to release in the coming 2015 year. As well, I've been working on a couple different challenges and blog hops that keep my calendar pretty busy - that's just my basic writing life! Then in reality there more going on as well... so, try to have some patience and sympathy when people say that they are busy, because it just might be true. How have you handled scheduling life when it might get a little more crazy (especially this time of year)?

Also, how do you handle when someone contacts you wanting help? This has happened a few times now and I feel like they want me to do the work for them. It irritates me but, I don't want to let them down (I'd rather help them to achieve their goal) however, I'm not going to write it for them! First, I'm a little worried that whatever they've sent me might contain a virus or something. Second, I want to help people as much as I've been helped (if not more), so I don't want to blow them off but I really am busy. Plus, if I do take the time to read through your work and I'm giving you suggestions and you expect me to make them for you; that's an editor's job and they get paid to do that work. Am I being too nice, too mean, or am I wrong all together?

IWSG

INSECURE WRITERS SUPPORT GROUP

INSECURE WRITER'S SUPPORT GROUP

Last month I mentioned how I write for a few different blogs and how this blog wasn't originally intended to be a book blog. When I self-published my first book I worked diligently trying to promote on social media and researching cost effective measure to self-promote. One of those suggestions was to connect with possible readers and other authors through blogging. I became obsessed with joining different blog hops to follow other blogs, thinking I would in return be followed back, and I don't regret anything. Spending all this time connecting, joining, and participating has been an invaluable tool. I've been able to connect with supportive and awesome individuals. Such as this support group, it has really helped me along both my blogging journey and as a self-published author.

Originally, I wanted to blog about everything and anything, to share my opinions and my universe. When I realized at the time that the majority of my posts were about books, I decided that maybe creating individual blogs would be more beneficial. I didn't want my opinionated posts swallowed up and missed because of the nearly daily posts about different books. I think it can go either way and it should suite your needs. I don't mind keeping up with a couple different blogs at a time and wonder if it really made all that much difference at all really. However, I think a lot of people that are in these positions get caught up in the business of it all too. I know I watch a lot of YouTube videos too and I've watched where the YouTuber seems pulled and conflicted because they're getting Trolled or they feel that their integrity is being compromised in one form or another. For instance, I wouldn't want someone that comes here to check out different blog tours to see a personal post and then decide to hate this blog because of my personal opinions.

Either way you look at it, the people writing are human beings. We deserve the right to our own opinions and just because we might not agree on something doesn't mean we can't still communicate, participate, and get along. But, me being the person that I am just decided to spread out as much as I could and created blogs for different passions that I could create, write, and share! Because that's just how scattered-brained I can be! Not really, I think it takes a lot of focus, dedication, and creativity to be able to do what we all do. It's not something to kick ourselves about too much. We need to commend our accomplishments - each post is an achievement and each word written is an accomplishment. So, keep up the great work!

IWSG Link