Wednesday, June 7, 2017

IWSG Post – Did you ever say I quit

Every time IWSG rolls into view, I realize that a month has flown past at a dizzying speed. I’ve completed a few writing goals for May, but my word count is pretty dismal. Every week I make a few writing resolutions and at the end of the week, I shake my head at my snail’s place.

IWSG aka Insecure Writers Support Group is a wonderful online group of writers who post on the first Wednesday of every month, which is our let off all the writing steam day (else we would all burst). We can grumble about our lack of attention, talk of our writing worries and fears, mourn our pathetic word counts, discuss our querying frustrations, or talk of any other writing related insecurity. Other writers who have been there and done that, help us out with their advice and suggestions. Check out the IWSG website for wonderful writing tips. You can read the other IWSG posts here.

Many years down the line Ninja Captain Alex J Cavanaugh (author of the Amazon Bestsellers: CassaStar, CassaStorm, CassaFire and Dragon of the Stars) and founder/creator of IWSG will go down in writing history for starting this awesome group. When great scientists and inventors will be mentioned, Alex’s contribution to writers’ sanity will be remembered.

June question – Did you ever say “I quit?” If so what happened to make you come back to writing?

Several times I have decided that I will quit writing (by that I mean I will not submit my book to publishers or query agents), but every time God has other plans for me. Whenever the thought of quitting crosses my mind, there is always some writing good news ringing my doorbell (it could be plenty of freelance work, lots of agent love during a twitter pitch contest, an invitation to judge a competition in a school, a newspaper editor requesting a few book reviews, a short story to submit, or to write some course material for school books.)

Even if I am not actually working on my books, I’m always writing something or the other. Its then I realize that God wants me to keep writing, that he is indirectly motivating me to keep striving, to have patience and enthusiasm and not give up.

My “I quit” lasts just for a few hours as after that God’s plans for me takes over. I am super eager to read how you all have tackled the fatal disease of “I quit,” and how you all motivate yourselves to keep writing.


19 comments:

  1. Glad that God is telling you not to quit writing with all the good news and writing opportunities that come knocking at your door. I haven't quit either. Just taking a different writing path.

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  2. God has a funny way of pushing us forward whether we want to move or not. He knows what we can do though!

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  3. I hear you about the month flying by!

    We have to keep an eye out for those signs, don't we? They're all around us, waiting for us to pay attention.

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  4. God has the master plan... He knows best!

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  5. Amen, sister! God is plotting our lives:) Isn't it true, the longer we are in this writing gig, the harder it is to quit?

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  6. I've decided to quit many times, but it never really happens. I guess I'm just hooked on plot and character and setting...

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  7. I've always said that I wouldn't have these stories if God didn't want me to publish them. And it is funny. When I get really, really frustrated, that's when God answers like "See? You just had to be patient." lol

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  8. How wonderful that you feel a spiritual calling to write. What finally pushed me into learning to write a book was telling my small group from church that I'd always wanted to write a book. They were like, You do?? Why aren't you doing it? And I didn't have a good answer. I published my first book six months ago and thanked them in my acknowledgements!

    Here's my IWSG June post: how to survive the 'little quits'

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  9. It's a slog, but it's the Good Fight, I think. My writing is almost always slow, and sometimes it's particularly absent, but I've never said "I quit," though I will quit on individual stories in various ways.

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  10. I love it! Guess it's best not to fight against the divine, eh? I mean, if He wants you to write, it's definitely for the best.

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  11. Awesome that the author of us all continues to inspire you to be an author:)

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  12. Kudos for being so open and listening to the plans God has for you. Which obviously are to keep writing! I think it's very important to pay attention to what God and the universe are trying to tell us.

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  13. Wow, Rachna...

    I always knew you wrote for others, but not to this capacity. Where would you even find the time for your own work?

    I am in 'quit' mode for the time being. Just not excited about anything. Totally bummed about the last Twitter pitch I won. It ended up with a nay.

    Put my PB aside. Just don't feel like illustrating. Once I get passed this, I hope to get back into SOMETHING... sigh.

    ANYWAY... SUPER happy that you are busy with such fun projects. It's so much fun to KEEP BUSY....

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  14. Love your positive attitude. It will carry you far...in life as well as in writing.

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  15. That's wonderful.... writing assignments that keep pouring in just as you are tempted to rest the pen for a while. God is kind indeed . Keep going :)

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  16. Glad you have always had something to keep you going with your writing. :)
    ~Jess

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