Wednesday, July 6, 2016

IWSG Post – Not Writing Fast Enough


 It’s once again time for our monthly IWSG post. We post on the first Wednesday of every month. IWSG is the place we writers hang around online, sharing our writing insecurities, anxieties, worries, clearing our doubts and learning from each other. As all the writers are at different stages of their publishing journey, there is a wealth of information on the IWSG website.

Ninja Captain Alex J Cavanaugh (author of the Amazon Bestsellers: CassaStar, CassaStorm, CassaFire and Dragon of the Stars), started this amazing group. We all are thrilled to be a part of Super A’s (my nickname for Alex) group. It’s not easy to emulate this helpful and kind guy. But we are trying.

I’m co-hosting this month’s IWSG with Yolanda Renee, Tyrean Martinson, LK Hill, JA Scott and Madeline Mora Summonte.

This month my insecurity is not writing fast enough. When I see some of these writers bringing out two to three books in a year, marketing them, blogging, reading, working on other books, I feel quite insecure. I wonder how do they it. I’m barely able to work on one, max two books at a time. If I concentrate on my writing, my reading suffers. If I tackle my features and book reviews, my writing slips. It’s so difficult to juggle all these balls in the air and not drop a few of them.

To make the IWSG Day more fun and interactive, it has been decided that every month a question will be announced which members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt us to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. We can include our answer to the question in our IWSG post or let it inspire our post if we are struggling with something to say. 

The July 6 question - What's the best thing someone has ever said about your writing?

One of the best compliments I’ve ever received is when the Principal of a reputed school in Bangalore spoke about my book ‘The Lion Who Wanted to Sing’ in her graduation day speech. She called my children’s book motivational and inspiring and urged students to emulate the lion when pursuing their dreams. When I heard about this I was super-duper happy.

60 comments:

  1. Hi,
    Thank you for co-hosting this month's IWSG. I used to compare myself to what every writer was doing also and had to learn that it is not what they do but what I do, that is important. Every writes at their own rhythm or drumbeat. My drum beat is just different and that the beat I follow.

    As for your compliment, right on. It always feels good and gives us a boost when we know we have made a difference.

    Shalom aleichem,
    Patricia

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  2. Well deserved and such compliments push the writer to do even better:)

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  3. Hi Rachna!
    Not writing fast enough was my insecurity last month. I think we need to accept that everyone is different and to work at our own individual pace. I'm working on it.
    That's such a wonderful comment made about your writing! Such inspiring words for students to hear from the Principal. You'll never know how those words impacted students who are struggling with low self-worth...
    Thank you for co-hosting the IWSG this month!
    Writer In Transit

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  4. Hey, I can't even produce a book a year. Some of us just have a slower pace. We're just more careful writers, right?
    That's awesome your book was mentioned during a graduation speech. Wow!

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  5. What a huge compliment. Congratulations! You must remember that when things aren't going the way you want them to. I find it very difficult to juggle things and end up exhausting myself. If either of us find the special remedy, let's make a pact to share :)

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  6. Thank you for hosting today, Rachna. You are so right that keeping all the balls in the air seems impossible. Each time one task looks under control, something . . . like marketing . . . gets in the way!

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  7. I know how you feel. I'm so amazed by writers who can put out multiple books in a year. Whereas I may get one book out every decade or so if I work really hard and never sleep. But I just try to keep my head down, focus on my own thing, and not worry what the other guy is doing. Some days, I am more successful than others.

    Very cool that your book was mentioned during a graduation speech!

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  8. I wish I was a faster, more productive writer, but I've learned that I can only push myself so far before everything falls apart and the writing feels forced, etc.

    Wow to having your book mentioned in a motivational speech!

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  9. Ah! That's so awesome! I love that she spoke about your book.

    Oh writing speeds... We're all different. I write SUPER slow, but recently I've realized it's not because I write slowly, it's because I have 4 kids and home school and volunteer in the church and community. So yeah, obviously there won't be as much of my time/brain to dedicate to writing. Celebrate your differences, eh?

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  10. WOW!!! That is a great compliment for your book!!!!!

    I'm also a snail of a writer. I also wonder how writer's can publish so many books so quickly.

    But~it's the quality, not the quantity!!!

    Take it slow and do the best that you can!!!

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  11. Oh, that's a wonderful compliment. And wonderful publicity.

    I have a lot of trouble doing everything at once. I'm one of those people who can only tackle one thing at a time. This summer I am distracted by kids at home so I will be blogging to promote a book and editing when I can. Reading is so engrained into my day to day life that I don't have to worry about that falling behind.

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  12. That is an awesome compliment. Doesn't get much better than that. Thanks for co-hosting. Don't worry too much about what others are doing. We have to work at our own speed. Otherwise, I believe it would ruin our muse.

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  13. It really is hard to balance all the things we need to do and still do justice to our writing projects, isn't it? I've quite fretting about those authors who are more prolific than I am. They do what they do by making different choices. I have to see my own writing as part of my life, and I make my own priorities based on what I want to do with my time. You know you don't want to give up reading and reviewing, so treasure that activity as much as you treasure your writing.

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  14. A book a year is about as fast as I write and sometimes I don't quite make that goal. There are lots of things to balance, but we each balance in our own special way.
    That's pretty cool to have your book mentioned in a graduation speech. That would rock my world.

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  15. As a teacher I got a bit of a chill reading that! Love that your story has the power to inspire!!

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  16. That's a great compliment! Somehow I missed that we now have a question of the month. Oops! I'll have to add that in next month.

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  17. Wow - I'd be super duper happy too!

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  18. That's an outstanding endorsement. Inspiring to young readers to be self-directed and a hero in their own lives is a precious gift. Thank you for co-hosting IWSG and providing an opportunity to meet you.

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  19. That's a great compliment from that principal! How wonderful!
    I think we each have our own writing pace. And, sometimes it varies from year to year. I know that my speediness in the last three years stemmed from having about five years of material already stocked up and in various stages of preparation. This year and next year will be slower since I'm working with both old and new material.

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  20. I understand your insecurity. I'm a slow writer, and just watching other authors put out book after book just floors me. I realize that some of them are full time writers, but still... Makes me wonder how productive I'd be if I didn't have a day job. Not that I'm asking to be fired, mind you.

    Thanks for co-hosting this month's IWSG.

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  21. Such a great compliment! Congrats! And I feel ya about speed. I was out of the writing game for about a year and I jumped back in expecting to churn things out quickly. Nope. Like anything else it takes practice. The more you write, the quicker you'll get. Just keep at it. Great post. Thanks for visiting mine! ;D

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  22. That was a beautiful compliment. Congrats. Yeah I get the not writing fast enough and everything else that goes with it. Feel ya triple times.
    Happy IWSG Day
    Juneta @ Writer's Gambit

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  23. Wow, that was a good complimemt! And I'm with you in the not writing fast enough category. Thanks for hosting!

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  24. Hi, Rachna,

    How are you? Don't feel bad about your productivity. We all work at our own paces... I haven't written anything new in over two years, so please don't beat yourself up.

    Those other things you are juggling are EQUALLY important. We are all human and can only do what we can with the time we have....

    I haven't started my picture book yet, but your words of critiquing it really does put a smile on my face and I WILL get to it soon. I must. My pup... the subject of the story is getting bigger and I need to write this before he's not a pup any longer. LOL. Thanks again for your support!

    What an AMAZING compliment. WOW... that is awesome. Whenever you feel down REMEMBER THAT! You have accomplished so much already. The other works will develop in their own time. Creativity must NEVER be forced or stressed about. It must flow naturally at the right time.

    HUGS...

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  25. Thank you for co-hosting. I'm a slow reader and a slow writer, so I can totally relate. What an amazing thing to happen, to have your book mentioned during the graduation speech, such an honor! Kudos to you!

    Elsie

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  26. A great compliment to receive! I know I've always enjoyed your work, Rachna! :)

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  27. That's an amazing compliment! How wonderful.
    I tend to be a slow writer too. I've learned I can't take on two books at once or I end up overwhelmed.

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  28. Aww, that's a wonderful compliment!! Thanks for co-hosting :)

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  29. So far today I think you win for best thing said about your writing. I get frustrated with my writing pace at times. Sometimes I'm so fast and other times I'm not.

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  30. To have someone shout out about your book at the podium at graduation - how wonderful!

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  31. That is a fantastic compliment. I bet you must have felt wonderful. Thank you for co-hosting, Rachna. I am with you on your insecurity. I also feel like I'm not writing fast enough, either. But I think we should just keep on doing our best. If it takes us a little longer, so be it. As long as we're proud of what we do and enjoy it.

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  32. That's a wonderful complement to your writing to have someone use it to inspire others. Good luck resolving the issue of time. You are not alone. ;)

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  33. Awesome compliment for your book :)

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  34. AWW! Your response got me all teary eyed. Thanks for co-hosting!

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  35. I totally hear you about not writing fast enough. I guess some people have that ability, and that is amazing. I'll just plod alongside you. Most likely, you'll get done before me. ;)

    Thanks for co-hosting!

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  36. That is a nice compliment. I would have been flying high if someone referenced my book in their speech. Thanks for co-hosting.

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  37. I'd want to sing, too! And don't get me started on that juggling thing! Thanks for co-hosting, Rachna. Carve out that time!

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  38. Great acknowledgement of your writing! And don't worry about being slow. Everyone has her own pace. It's the quality that counts.

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  39. Super duper happy and doing the happy dance all over the place. Wow, that's beautiful! You should be proud!
    I too suffer from the time issue. I love the writing process, the creation. When the story flows from the pen there is nothing better. The rest of it, not so much, it's time consuming and takes away from all the pleasure. I'm actually thinking of walking away to just write. It is where the joy is, the rest I abhor! Sorry, didn't really mean to go there but when you lose the joy - go back to the joy!

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  40. Oh, I understand. How are they able to do that. I’ve long come to terms that when it comes to my writing pace, I’m slightly faster than a slug. But that’s great and a very honorable achievement to have your children’s book mentioned in a graduation speech. Thanks for co-hosting today Rachna!

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  41. Rachna, that is a wonderful compliment from your Principal. These things really motivate us. I share your fear of 'slow writing'. There are ways to speed things up, but well, I wouldn't enjoy the process as much. But it'd be awesome to publish one book a year, yet alone three!

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  42. Thank you for stopping by. It is so nice to hear that someone enjoys your writing. At first, I didn't know how to respond when someone told me they enjoyed my columns. And when the first author told me her mother grabbed the paper to read my column first. Howah. I, too, walked on air.

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  43. Wow, Rachna! What an amazing thing to experience! It gives me shivers just thinking about that principal using your book in a graduations speech!

    I'm a very slow writer, and other writers' productivity amazes me. I try not to compare myself with others because that can depress me. I just keep moving forward doing the best I can.

    Good luck with your writing, and thanks for co-hosting this month!

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  44. That's an amazing compliment--in a grad speech. Congrats.

    I am constantly plagued with the "I don't write fast enough" fear, which in turn slows me down. Such an evil cycle.

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  45. Having to work a full-time job, I have never let the problem of writing to slow annoy me. I know it's going to happen. There are only so many hours in the day and only so many days in the month. With the addition of family, friends and other obligations, I'd literally have to become a hermit to get more writing done.

    As for the best thing anyone has said about your writing. Wow! that's a huge compliment.

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  46. I feel the not writing fast enough struggle. I know some people who can first draft their book in a week when it takes me two months minimum, but everyone works at their own pace and that's okay.

    storitorigrace.blogspot.com

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  47. What an awesome compliment!! Thanks for co-hosting!

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  48. Thank you so much for co-hosting the IWSG July blogging session. I've just joined the group and I've just joined your blog. Oh my gosh! That's incredible. Congratulations! Thanks for sharing. All the best!

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  49. What a great compliment. How many of us never realize how what we say will impact another? Thanks for co-hosting this month.

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  50. I imagine my best compliment has come from you, or if not you, someone who has commented on one of the stories I've put on my blog or entered in one of the weekly contests I've entered in the past. I must say, I work at a snail's pace when I don't have a deadline of some sort.

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  51. Oh man, I feel like this right now!

    Thanks for co-hosting.

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  52. I know I sometimes feel I should be writing more, writing faster, producing more. But, that would likely take all the fun out of it for me. Its hard not to compare our productivity, styles, choices; but just mires a writer in useless energy depletion. Focus on your awesome compliments, work at your own pace, and eat ice cream to feel less guilty.

    You are doing great with your goals and productivity. Give yourself a pat on the back.

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  53. How amazing that your book was mentioned in that speech! We all write at different speeds. I kept beating myself up for not writing fast enough, because I saw so much productivity in other people, but then people started telling me I was more productive than them, and feeling the same way I felt about others, and I realized it was all relative.

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  54. I hear you - about not writing fast enough. I belong to a critique group where a couple of the writers just spit their books out. I know a lot of that is serious butt in chair dedication - but I'm not sure my head could come up with 8 or more stories in one year.

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  55. Congratulations on the compliment - motivational and inspiring are certainly wonderful attributes to have. I know what you mean about not being able to write fast enough sometimes. Thanks for cohosting this month.

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  56. Wow, I'd be glowing with praise like that.

    I feel insecure about my lack of progress too. I don't think we should compare ourselves to others, though. We each have different lives and challenges.

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  57. I wish I was faster too. Thanks for co-hosting this month.
    Juneta @ Writer's Gambit

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