Wednesday, November 2, 2016

IWSG: Happy Writer



Insecure Writers Support Group question for November is:
What is your favorite aspect of being a writer?

Good Reviews! Praise!

It feels like hot soup on a cold winter's night.  Snuggling into freshly laundered sheets. Knowing that your favorite movie's coming on that night and getting out the popcorn popper. The beauty of the first snowfall of the year.  A hilarious LOLCat vid when you really need a laugh.

Even more than making me happy, it feels like a big relief. Whew! I worked so hard and I did it right!

I'm reminded of when Sally Field got an Oscar and she cried with happiness and said, "You like me! You really like me!"



There are a lot of things you can't control in publishing.
1) If your CPs and betas will spot everything that needs to be fixed.
2) If your publisher will do all they can to push your book and be open to change if things need to be tweaked.
3) Even if your publisher will still be in business a year from now. (Many publishers I know have gone out of business in the last 6 years.)
4) If your marketing and promotion will reach people.
5) Amazon suddenly pulling reviews because they don't understand the difference between a FB friend and a fan.
And the big one:
6) Sales.

All those things can go badly wrong and there isn't a thing you can do about it.

There's only one thing you control -- the content and quality of your writing, and there's no way to judge that until reviews start coming in.  

When the reviews are very positive, it makes me so happy!!



This is a post for the Insecure Writer's Support Group, the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. It exists so the community of blogging writers can share and support each other, blog-hopping to cheerlead and commiserate. To find out more, visit: Insecure Writer's Support Group. Plus, check out the IWSG Website for lots of helpful info and links.

35 comments:

L.G. Keltner said...

Congratulations on all the great reviews! Your hard work has paid off!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

great reviews are the best, knowing that someone enjoyed the work you've done.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Well said! Those reviews are precious. Someone gets it.

Natalie Aguirre said...

Awesome you're getting good reviews. Just getting positive feedback is really something us writers need.

messymimi said...

Compliments and great reviews keep people going! A compliment lasts me about a week.

JeffO said...

Cheers, Lexa--may the good reviews keep rolling in!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

LOL We'll never forget Sally's speech. She was right though. Awards, reviews, etc. means people do like us and what we created. May the great reviews continue to roll in.

The Cynical Sailor said...

Congrats on all of the great reviews! That's so exciting and well deserved.

Andrew Leon said...

It's just nice to know someone is reading.

Jen said...

Positive feedback does so much for writers. Even when someone tells me they enjoyed a blog post it makes me feel like I'm making a difference with my words. Having a good review for a novel is something I've yet to experience (just because I don't have a novel out there yet) but I can only imagine the feeling is 100 times more exciting and confirming.

Congratulations on all your good reviews and may you receive many, many, MANY more!!

~Jen

Chrys Fey said...

Good reviews are the best! I've been struggling recently to actually get reviews, though. *sigh*

I hope you continue to get great reviews! :)

Anonymous said...

A good review always puts a smile on my face.

stephen Hayes said...

Receiving a great review is something I'm still looking forward to.

Elizabeth Seckman said...

I always hear Sally in my head too!! I do love a good review. They are the best!

Crystal Collier said...

Yay for epic reviews! I absolutely love those too--and when they come spontaneously especially! Some people are so generous.

Sheena-kay Graham said...

Positive reviews are definitely a plus. Congrats Lexa.

Kate Larkindale said...

Good reviews are certainly the best medicine! But you totally deserve every good review you get. Your book is awesome!

H. R. Sinclair said...

Aw, that was so sweet--like mini-marshmallows melting on hot chocolate (like what I did there?)

Dr. Theda said...

Wishing you a belated Happy Halloween, dear Lady Lexa...

Jennifer Hawes said...

Great reviews are worth their weight in gold! I'm so happy for you! It's like when an agent says they love what they see and want to see more;) It totally makes your day.

Rachel Pattinson said...

Aww, I love this post, Lexa! I know you shouldn't write to please people, but it does give you a rush when someone gives you a good review - for me, it's almost like validation that my work IS good enough and I AM a good writer (which pulls me through all those days when I believe I can barely string a sentence together). Absolutely loving the Elmo gif!

Tyrean Martinson said...

Congratulations on the great reviews!

kimlajevardi.com said...

Congratulations on the hard-earned good reviews! Have a great week, Lex!

Michelle Wallace said...

Congrats on all your positive reviews!
Happy IWSG!

Nicola said...

Uplifting post. Thank you, Lexa. Congrats on all your accomplishments and those great reviews. 'They really like you!' :)

Pat Garcia said...

Reading a good review is like a confirmation of all the investment you have put into a project. Yes, that is an outstanding feeling.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

I'm so happy for you, Lexa. You deserve it. It's been a wild ride, yes. Relax. Kick back. Enjoy. Until the next one.

Carol Kilgore said...

Well said. The work itself is the only thing we have control over. I'm not surprised you have great reviews :)

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

You are so right, Lexa. And you've been getting some great ones lately. Good job.

Cathrina Constantine said...

Good Post and so true!!

Tamara Narayan said...

Hurrah for great reviews! You've certainly earned them.

Deanie Humphrys-Dunne said...

Keep celebrating those reviews! They can really cheer you up, can't they?
You worked so hard to earn them.

Rhonda Albom said...

I agree. Reviews show you that you've done it well. All else can fall by the wayside but you still have the appreciation from the reviews.

Olga Godim said...

You're right: good reviews are priceless.

Natalie Aguirre said...

Yay for getting a royalty payment. That must have been so cool.

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