IWSG - 2024 Recap & Big News

It's time for the first Insecure Writer's Support Group posting of 2025!


Created by Alex J. Cavanaugh, the IWSG provides a space for writers to share their insecurities and provide support to each other. Anyone can join. Simply click on Alex's name and put your name on the link list. (We typically post the first Wednesday of the month unless, like in this case, it falls on a holiday).

The co-hosts this month are Rebecca Douglass, Beth Camp, Liza at Middle Passages, and Natalie Aguirre. It's always nice to drop by and thank the co-hosts for their help!

The optional question this month is: Describe someone you admired when you were a child. Did your opinion of that person change when you grew up?

I'm skipping the optional question this month.

I don't have any December submissions stats, as I never had any time to make submissions! I also had zero rejections or acceptances. Funny how that works when you don't submit something. ;)

However, I did get my first acceptance of the year: my very first best of! I found out two days ago that my story, Hork, which was published back in September, has been chosen to be in The Best of Carnage House Year 1!

My 2024 stats were slim, but they existed, so I'm calling that a win. In 2024:

25 submissions
4 acceptances
18 rejections
6 still on submission (this doesn't add up because some of the rejections were for 2023 submissions)
3 short stories were published (again, not going to add up with the line below because some acceptances were in 2023)
3 are currently pending publication (the next couple months should be busy!)(4 if I count the January acceptance)
1 debut novel release
7 pieces published on Rocky Mountain Reader
Guested on 13 podcasts
Released 12 episodes of Mysteries, Monsters, & Mayhem
Appeared in 1 live storytelling event

It was a busy year, both personally and professionally. I haven't decided on any goals for this year, as there's a lot up in the air, and anything I set now would possibly be unrealistic. So I guess the amount of time and energy I can dedicate to writing after everything else going on is my current insecurity. 

Happy New Year!

Have you looked at the last year and all you've done, whether work or personal, or do you prefer just moving forward? Do you make goals? What are your insecurities? 

May you find your Muse.


Comments

  1. Alex J. CavanaughJanuary 8, 2025 at 4:36 AM

    What an awesome way to start the year with an acceptance!

    ReplyDelete
  2. L. Diane WolfeJanuary 8, 2025 at 7:29 AM

    A best-of acceptance - that's wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rebecca M. DouglassJanuary 8, 2025 at 9:07 AM

    Great to start the year with an acceptance! And your idea of a slim year boggles my little mind. I shared my 2024 accomplishments a week or so back, and am looking ahead to 2025 in today's post.

    ReplyDelete
  4. F. StoneJanuary 8, 2025 at 1:51 PM

    Last year I showed my books weekly at a Farmer's Market. I've done this a few times and the stats show it's not a good book marketing strategy. Those were at Libraries. However, at farmer's market in the fall 2024, the biggest competitors were farmers selling veggies and lovely hand made blankets, some jewelry and inuksuk's. No other authors. I did sell some books but not enough to cover the table rental. Going to try it again in the spring. Looking for advice on success at a farmer's market table.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Olga GodimJanuary 8, 2025 at 5:24 PM

    'Best of' is always rewarding. Good for you.

    ReplyDelete

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