The Musings of a Hopeful Pecunious Wordsmith - SittieCates

#IWSG Post for August 2015: There’s a Time for…

2015-08-05T20:58:00.001-07:00

Hi there! I missed last month’s group posting for IWSG. Sorry about that. A lot of things happened that time. Like the sudden death of one of our dogs. I don’t want to elaborate on what happened. I hope you understand.

Oh, I forgot to tell you. Last June 15, I got to sign the contract! Yup, I’m in—finally. There is no definite date yet for the book’s publication since a little project would also be included with that one.

Here's my IWSG post for this month:

IWSG

We all know that there is a time for the silver moon to bid goodbye to the night. That’s the special moment when the morning sun comes out to brighten the day. But the sun goes, too, when nightfall returns. Such is the precise rotational routine of nature, day in and day out.

Photo Credit: Ross2085 on Flickr (Sun and Moon Together on the Tay)

What am I getting at? Well, like the sun and the moon, I have to leave for awhile. I need to focus on the little project I mentioned, but I’ll be back soon. But unlike the sun and the moon, I’m not sure when I’ll be back.

So… It’s adieu for now, and a huge thank you to everyone included in the IWSG, especially to Alex J Cavanaugh and this month's co-hosts (Nancy Gideon, Bob R Milne, Doreen McGettigan, Chrys Fey, Bish Denham, and Pat Garcia). You guys rock! To those who would read this, I hope that great things are in store for you for the rest of the month until the day I come back. ‘Til then. Sending you lots of virtual *hugs*! I’ll see you next post.

#IWSG June 2015: So When Shall it Be?

2015-06-03T03:17:00.001-07:00

I’m here to join another group posting for Alex Cavanaugh’s IWSG. Thanks to him and the co-hosts for this month (M. Pax, Tracy Jo, Patricia Lynne, Rachna Chhabria, Feather Stone and Randi Lee), lovers of the written word (like me) have a special place to go home to each month on the blogosphere.

What shall I share with you today? Hmmm… Lemme see.

Here’s My IWSG Post

Outside, the sweltering heat makes my skin scream in agony whenever I step out for a short break. Gosh, who could walk unprotected in this weather? I think my skin’s a few shades darker now. :-)

OK. That's not it. What I really want to say is that (in a few days it would be my birthday. No, not that one, too, but) I still don’t know when I’ll have the revised contract to sign. You see, at my post last month, I’ve inserted an update on a meeting with the publisher who accepted my manuscript. What happened? The meeting went well. The publisher, the editor and the whole staff were really nice and accommodating. With regards to the contract, negotiations are still being done up to now.

Photo Credit Link: Stephen Hampshire on Flickr

Why am I sharing this? What does that mean for you? Well, to those who are submitting manuscripts for the first time, this is another waiting period that you have to go thru. This means that after waiting for months for a publisher’s reply regarding the status of your manuscript (whether it would be accepted or rejected), you have to wait again when it is accepted and will be prepared for publication. You see, from negotiations and the signing of contracts up to the day the book would be published, the process may take months or years—depending on the publisher and their workload, or what you and the publisher have negotiated on.

While waiting, it’s easy for anxiety to step in unnoticed. That constant nagging of “So when shall it be (out/published)?”—by your mind or by people who couldn’t wait to read your work—can set your worry meter on high.

Yup. That's right. I went through that. But I’m not willing to stay there in that downer anymore, especially since a recurrent illness (that has been ongoing for a couple of weeks now) hasn’t completely left me yet.

What did I do to shake the not-so-good feeling off and change focus? Water is a refreshing, instant cure so I made myself ice-cold drinks and had a long, invigorating bath. (That would be perfect if the weather in your country is the same as mine right now.) I also revisited old works of mine. This last one’s the best distraction so far because it takes your mind off of things, and it makes you see the strength of your works that you haven’t sent yet, or you may have sent before and it got rejected for the first time. I do believe that old works have potential and can be publishable with a little tweaking here and here. So, don’t ever throw your old works! You can still use them.

If you’re in the same boat or have sailed through this murky sea of anxiety as I have, I hope you’re safe on land now, completely dry and blissfully content with how things are going with you. If not, well then, here’s a virtual *HUG* for you. Off to visit some blogs now before I take my meds. I sure hope the month of June finds you well. I’ll see you next post.

#IWSG May 2015: Finding Bliss

2015-05-06T03:53:00.002-07:00

It's the month of May! It's time for the group posting of The Insecure Writer's Support Group led by Alex J Cavanaugh and this month's co-hosts, Eva Solar Melanie Schulz, Lisa-Buie Collard, and Stephen Tremp.

IWSG

Since it's the merry month of May, here's a little something that I'd like to share if you're feeling a little down, a little insecure, a little out-of-sorts lately. Hope this cheers you up.

Writers have their down moments. I know.

So how do you find your bliss when you need it the most?

For me, it's in the little things that we already have. To see them, all you need to do is open your eyes, write a brand new script, enjoy the moment, and they'll arrive.

If you can't find 'em, no worries. They'll come.

To those of you who need something nice, fun and happy to focus on at the start of this month, I sincerely hope that my warm wishes to you (that all start with the word MAY since it's the month of May) would help make you feel good. And then you take it from there. Build on it. Sustain it. Embrace it.

MAY you all be in the best of health.
MAY you run towards it, or MAY it come to you as swiftly and as comforting as a soft, cool breeze on your face.

Photo Credit Link: Peter Mooney on Flickr

MAY your fun, little WANTS in life trudge in your widely-opened door.
(Your WANTS may be a handful of chocolates, a cup of coffee, a surprise visit from a dear friend, that much-awaited day to sign a book contract with a publisher,
wonderful ideas for a new story, etc..)
No matter what your WANTS may be, welcome them in with open arms and a huge, happy smile on your face. Go ahead and embrace that fun, little WANT
and see how wonderful they make you feel.

Photo Credit Link: Robbert van der Steeg on Flickr

MAY you see ALL the good things in life that shall give you

the most wonderful feelings of fun and bliss. Like rainbows, a starlit sky, dawn, dusk, raindrops, birds chirping overhead, etc.

Photo Credit Link: Moyan Brenn on Flickr

I could go on and on, but that would make this a long post.
Anyway, when you do all those things, you'll get...

Photo Credit Link: Ged Carroll on Flickr

And THAT's how you find bliss. :-)

So, are you smiling right now? Ready to write that wonderful story of yours? Ready to embrace the challenges of this month with that smile on your face? I hope so. :-)

Note: What I wrote above is a bit like something that I do when I feel a little insecure. I focus on other things that will make me feel happy. And then, I realize that happiness comes in. It really does. :-)

What about you? How do you find your bliss? Oh, do tell! I'd love to know.

Happy IWSG day to you and MAY you have the most awesome, blissful month of MAY! Sending you virtual *HUGS*! It's time for me to visit the others. I'll see you next post!

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Update: This Friday, I have a meeting with one of the editors of the publishing firm who'll be publishing a children's book of mine! So excited!