When Is The End a Go? Oct #IWSG Blog Hop

For whatever reason, I have this uncanny ability to bump into these types of posts well after the fact, and although I'm too late to the party, I have left instructions (below) for you to start this hop at its real beginning and follow through from there.

IWSG (Insecure Writers Support Group) has a monthly Blog Hop which occurs on the first Wednesday of each month.

This month, the question posed is:  When do you know your story is ready?

Never.

Even when I feel 98% sure it is a go, I suffer heart palpitations, anxiety, and self-doubt as I upload the formatted material online.

An indicator that I'm through messing around and ready to launch is a gut feeling, but the meter never reaches 100% regardless of the stage at which I feel like it is time to put the baby to bed.

I work with two incredible BETA readers, and their helpful and candid advice has made me feel lots better about myself as a writer and about my writing, but I am not yet to the point of being able to use them as a sounding board about launch hopes.

My first publication took more than a year to complete, and after so many edits and rewrites that I lost count.

I even used the NaNoWriMo twice (Nov and June) to get that puppy up to speed, and then after it was published, I started to hear bad things about my style and show v. tell, which made me yank the piece.

I put so much time and effort into that story, it is extremely difficult to want to go back and start all over again (but, I will!).

Part of the problem, I think, is that I always know what my stories will entail and the types of scenarios the H and h will go through, but I'm never positive about the HEA or the ending.

Well, my stories tend to end HEA but where (how) the story ends is always left suspended in midair as I write, leaving each chapter written to dictate the outcome, and that might be why I tend to wonder about its being show-worthy even as I'm formatting said 'final draft'.

I am an insecure writer, so this group seemed right up my alley, although it isn't likely I'll ever remember to sign onto the blog hop in time to be a part of the fun.

Below is the #IWSG information I promised.


Insecure Writer's Support Group created by Alex J. Cavanaugh

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer's Support Group day. We share our thoughts - talk about our doubts and fears. Or we can offer a word of encouragement to others.

Co-hosts for this month are:

Beverly Stowe McClure

Megan Morgan

Viola Fury

Madeline Mora-Summonte

Angela Wooldridge

Susan Gourley

If you click on the above link (Insecure Writer's Support Group) you'll be taken to their sign-up page, and if you scroll down to the bottom, you'll see the LONG list of Hop participants.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the Hop!