Lidy

IWSG Day- Writing Slump & Motivational Quote

Insecure Writers Support Group New Badge

It’s that day again. Yes, it’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group Day. But today is different from previous IWSG days because I’m co-hosting today!

Thanks goes to Alex Cavanaugh, ninja captain extraordinaire for creating this group. Allowing us to come together to share our woes and encourage each other in our journey to creative careers. 

To find out more about the group and/or maybe even sign-up, click on the badge above.  And don’t forget to check out my other co-hosts:  Lauren Hennessy, Lisa Buie-Collard, Christine Rains, and Mary Aalgaard!

Our Twitter hashtag is #IWSG

So what’s going on with me this month? Well, I’m doing my first blog tour and still searching for reviewers for my poetry chapbook. I’m freaking out a bit if the blog tour will help with sales or grow my audience.  I’m behind schedule with my YA urban/portal, contemporary romance and poetry manuscript. But I’ve decided to commit to finishing the poetry collection in March during March Madness. I can pick up the other two again in April/May and also return to my Nadia book one manuscript.

Yet falling behind and questioning about the success or lack of the book promotion is getting to me. Even with all the excitement of the tour, the self doubts are creeping in through the slits and cracks. The armor is chinking.

I guess it’s a good thing I’m a sucker for quotes. And I try to remember this one particular quote that I came across  from visiting one of my favorite sites, tatsukida.blogspot.com. It’s a quote I want to always remember whenever I’m feeling low about my writing progress, ability, potential, etc. And I’d like to dedicate this quote to you all as well:

“Never say that you can’t do something, or that something seems impossible, or that something can’t be done, no matter how discouraging or harrowing it may be; human beings are limited only by what we allow ourselves to be limited by: our own minds. We are each the masters of our own reality; when we become self-aware to this: absolutely anything in the world is possible.

Master yourself, and become king of the world around you. Let no odds, chastisement, exile, doubt, fear, or ANY mental virii prevent you from accomplishing your dreams. Never be a victim of life; be it’s conqueror.”–Mike Morton

What’s going on with you this month? What do you do to restore your faith in your writing? Have a favorite quote(s) you like to go back to keep you motivated?

PS I’m still looking for at least 6 tour hosts for the Can You Catch My Flow? blog tour for April. If you’re not busy doing the A to Z Challenge. Or the National Poetry Month 30 poems in 30 days Challenge. And would like to take part, click the banner below to the sign up form. Looking forward to hearing from you! 😀

My first tour stop was yesterday on Quanie Talks Writing. You can keep track with my other blog tour stops here.

We all grow up sometime -Can You Catch My Flow? #ebook free on #smashwords w/ coupon code YP99N until 3/7/2016 http://bit.ly/15P9 – Click to Tweet

CYCMF- blog tour & giveaway banner 2 (1)

PSS You’re looking at the newest moderator at Unicorn Bell! All thanks goes to Chrys Fey for recommending me. I’ll be posting 3x a week and my first post is on April 18th. Of course, since April is National Poetry Month, the posts will be poetry related. Wish me luck!

 

-As things stand now, I am going to be a writer. I'm not sure that I'm going to be a good one or even a self-supporting one, but until the dark thumb of fate presses me to the dust and says 'You are

 

 

 

 

 

 

92 comments

  2. I’m so happy for you and hope this is the most epic release tour! If I was doing my normal blogging thing, I’d totally be locking you in for an April feature. Unfortunately, I’m going on “break” and have got all available openings booked out until June. It’s a crazy life, eh? You know, it was just my own thing back in high school, but I always said, “You build your own reality.” I completely agree that our limits are only the ones we place on ourselves.

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    • Thank you Crystal. And yes it’s a crazy life we lead when we practice to weave…stories that is. Limits only hinder your dreams from becoming your reality. Have fun on your break.

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    • Thanks Patricia. Loved the quote too. When I came across it, I immediately thought I need to save this somewhere so I can always go to it whenever I can.

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    • Yes. Every so often it’s the limits we place on ourselves more than the ones placed on us by others and believing it, that holds us back.

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  7. I think this is frustrating for most of us, but I think that your blog tour is a great start. Once people know that you’re out there, you’ll definitely have more success at building your audience. Have you also tried marketing yourself locally (doing readings)? That might help as well. No matter what, as long as you keep plugging away, you’ll see some progress.

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    • Thanks Quanie. And I have been thinking of doing local readings. My local writing group holds one on from time to time. But first, I have a few things to take care of. Mostly deciding what kind of liquid courage I should imbibe first. My most embarrassing moment in front of an audience was in my teens, when my aunt forced against my will to sing a hymn in her church event. Closed my eyes to calm myself for just one second and the next I was being pulled up from the ground. Got a nice big mic imprint on my cheek. Don’t want another repeat of that.

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  8. You sound like you have a lot of projects going on! That’s great. I’ve done a few blog tours and I’ve always just tried to enjoy them for what they are–getting to talk to new people and share your work with others. They’re a lot of fun. Success takes time, but you’ll get there. Good luck!

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    • Thanks again Christine! And you too. Yes, we all feel those knocks, we all stumble and fall. But in the face of all that, there’s only one thing that can be said: “Never give up, never surrender!”- Galaxy Quest
      RIP Alan Rickman

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    • Thanks. I love quotes that inspire and motivate. Every once in a while, I remember a quote from Johnny Depp that makes me smile and also continue to believe in myself and push forward: “One day the people that didn’t believe in you will tell everyone how they met you.”

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  14. First of all, congrats on your new release. Some good motivational quotes here. I too limit myself in my mind. I need to stop doing that. One of my favourite quotes is actually from Anne Franke, “So I go on again with fresh courage; I think I shall succeed, because I want to write!”
    Last year I was involved with the A-Z challenge. But the year before that I did a poetry challenge in April. One day I would like to go back to that. Poetry is something I’ve gotten away from, and I’d like to push my poem count past the 200 mark. Something I’m fairly close to doing now.
    Thanks for co-hosting the IWSG!!!!

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      • I’d like to, but it’s going to be a busy month for me. I think I’d like to consider it for next year.
        Along with the A-Z, I’m also away for one of the weekends and I signed up to be a minion.
        I want to do something different each year for the April A-Z challenge, so next year doing poetry would work beautifully.

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  17. Hi Lidy. It sounds like your creative side is flowing! Congratulations on the new release, and also finishing up you YA project. I love quotes too. I found this great one today. “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” Pele
    I love soccer so that’s why I thought it was so great. If you still need a blog tour host, I’m willing to help out next month. I have to go back to work but I’ll take a look at the sign up form later today.
    Erika

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  19. We never know which promotional activities will work for us and our books until we try – but if you are trying something then you’re on the way to working it out.

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  21. Thanks for the great post and for co-hosting today. It sounds like you are very busy and congratulations on your achievements so far! I hope you enjoy your blog hop and gain a sound readership. All the best.

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  22. I love that quote! It sounds like you’re crazy busy. I definitely think doing a blog tour is a good thing to get your book out there in front of new people. I’m leaning toward doing A to Z and I’m almost ready to publish my second book, so things are going to be nuts for me in April. Otherwise, I’d sign up.
    Congrats on joining Unicorn Bell! And thanks for co-hosting! Best of luck with the tour! I’m sure it will be a great one.

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    • Thanks Lori and congrats. April is definitely going to be nuts for me too as I’ve decided to do NaPoWriMo again this year during the blog tour. Wishing us both luck.

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  26. Hi – I’m new to IWSG and am enjoying meeting people here. You’re making amazing progress… good luck with the blog tour and challenges. I’m looking for more information on what it takes to participate.

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    • Hi Emaginette. I’m doing well although, I’m suspicious that the funny feeling in my throat is a sign of an oncoming cold. Already drank some tea with lemon and honey. But it only soothed the now quiet tickle in my throat for a little while. :-/

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  28. Thank you for co-hosting the March IWSG, Lidy. I love this quote you posted: Never be a victim of life; be it’s conqueror.”–Mike Morton
    Until today, I hadn’t heard about “30 Poems in 30 Days” and then read about it twice within hours.
    Best of success with your chapbook.

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    • Thanks Gail. National Poetry Month is four weeks away, so you’ll be seeing more about the 30 poems, 30 days challenge the closer it gets. This year is especially special because it’ll be the 20th year anniversary.

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    • Thank you Melissa. Sometimes it’s hard to stay inspired to do something. We often find that inspiration in others, like quotes and so I like to share them with others, to pass it forward. Maybe, someone who’s been having a bad day feels better after reading the quote. How that quote was just what they needed to raise their spirits or gain perspective. You never know.

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  30. Loads of goodness here at your place!! 🙂
    The Mike Morton quote is FABULOUS!!
    Congrats on joining the team over at Unicorn Bell. Good luck with the book and the tour.
    Thank you for co-hosting the IWSG this month.

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  32. Don’t over think. The key to marketing is first and foremost to write great new books. The more you have out, the bigger your audience gets. Good luck with your blog tour and your new writing projects! 🙂

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    • Thanks lexa. Not overthinking is definitely a recurring ailment of a writer. Will have to master myself not to overthink while continuing to push forward.

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  33. I’ll have to remember those words from your quote — “Master yourself, and become king of the world around you.” I seem to fail at this more than I make it. 🙂
    @dino0726 from 
    FictionZeal – Impartial, Straightforward Fiction Book Reviews

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    • I like that quote. Yes, we do have the freedom to be true to ourselves in the here and now. After all, tomorrow is not promised to us. So why not be ourselves and go after our dreams today and every day we’re still here?

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  35. I’ll pass on some advice from a writing workshop I attended last fall–target what you do. If you do events, do them in your area or in the area where the book is set. Reach out to bookstores in those areas, too…they’re likely to be the ones to carry your book because they have a reason. Beyond that, there isn’t much we can do but write good books and network with other writers (which is basically what a blog tour is). It’s never easy–all authors struggle with it, so there’s solace in that. But the best advice I saw about marketing was to find what you enjoy doing and concentrate on that.

    Stephanie
    http://stephie5741.blogspot.com

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  36. Will you be sharing your thoughts on blog tours? I’m interested to see if you think they do those things you mention (increase sales and grow your audience).

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  38. Congratulations on the book and the tour!

    I hope your tea helped scare away the germs and you’re feeling much better!
    Thanks for the well wishes, I’m trilled to be coming back and double thrilled that spring is just around the corner!
    I a sucker for a great quote too!

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  41. Thank good for quotes, right? I’m a huge fan of motivational quotes, too, and get my dose on Pinterest. I’ll have to check out the blog you mentioned. Best, best, best of luck on the blog tour, Lidy. You’re doing very well. Don’t worry too much and enjoy what you’ve planned every day!

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    • Thanks Claudine. Motivational quotes really are good at what they do, motivate. I have my own motivational/inspirational quote board on Pinterest because I love them so.

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  42. I think we all have times where we lapse into writing slumps or into writing blocks and we need a little motivation to push us along and get the flowing of creativity working once again. I know this is a post I might return to and have it saved now!

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    • I’m glad that this post has become a source of support and motivation for you. It is for me and wanted to share the quote with others so it could motivate them as well.

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    • Yeah, in this case, what’s good for the goose isn’t good for the gander. Making adjustments, thinking differently and generating new ideas to promote each book…sometimes I wish we could outsource the book promotion. But who would know our work better than us?

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  45. Hi, Lidy. Thanks for your comment on Denise’s guest post that’s in my behalf. Now I’ve met you, and cheer you on with your writing. One really has to be aggressive these days with social media to promote. I too wish you success with your tour.

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    • You’re welcome Ann. And thanks for visiting.Sigh, if only there was a promotion deity I can give offerings to. But promoting on social media requires my effort and the support and cheers. So thank you for your well wishes! 😀

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