IWSG Day - January 4, 2017 - Pacing 2017

Hello Everyone,

Happy New Year!

It is the first Wednesday of the month, and IWSG Time. 

IWSG is a writer support group created by Alex Cavanaugh. It is a big help to many of us who do not mind sharing our insecurities, our successes or giving encouragement and help to others. 

So, if you are interested and would like to join, the link below will lead you directly to us:

The Insecure Writer's Support Group 

My report:

I am the winner of the 2016 WEP DECEMBER CHALLENGE UTOPIAN DREAM. YEAH!  I have linked the story, The Woman and Her Dream  to this blog post if you would like to read it.

Rejections: I finally heard from Diverse Voices Quarterly after nine months. My piece was rejected.

Submissions still out:

Wordhaus. Haven’t got an answer yet.

JANUARY 4TH QUESTION: What writing rule do you wish you’d never heard?

Answer: Show, don’t tell. Why? Because most teachers can’t explain what it means.

 PACING 2017

I closed out 2016 sailing.  Chosen as the winner of the 2016 WEP DECEMBER UTOPIAN DREAMS CHALLENGE, the first thing I did when I read the email notification was cry, and I am not ashamed to say it.

2017 opened with me as a judge in the Winter Writing Contest sponsored by Becoming Writer. Also, twenty-eight minutes after midnight, New Year’s, morning, I received an email and read a superb analysis from a writing coach/editor on my essay for an anthology.

Needless to say, being a judge entails much work I could not imagine because I have always been a submitter. This is my first time participating as a judge. Along with my writing, my music, and other responsibilities, my plate is already overflowing.

Therefore, I am learning to pace myself by using an Excel workbook for every piece of writing I write with actions I need to undertake.   I am learning to love my calendar, and I am making myself take the time to record commitments or things that need taking care of because I FORGET. Frustrations will be written in my journal more quickly when storms come into my life, and I have decided to stick with Scrivener until I have it down pat.

I do not want to lose my momentum by September, so I have two study tools, which are going to keep me going, and I meditate and use them daily. So, my morning begins with Declaring God’s Word by Derek Prince, and my day ends with Clinging to God by Lynda R. Young.

I am only four days into the year. In December, I will let you know if pacing worked for me.

Wishing all of you a praeclara 2017.  Please, walk safely through the year.

Shalom aleichem,

Pat Garcia