Insecure Writers in the Summertime

It is the monthly meeting of the Insecure Writer's Support Group - go to the link and sign up or look for other worried writers to read. 

What does the insecure writer get up to in the summer? I'm so happily stuck into a new project (Tales of the Dispossessed) that I'm having no problem meeting my goal of roughly 1 thousand words a day. I should have a shitty first draft by the end of the summer and be able to then dive into my favourite part - revising. It isn't a mystery this time - it is a tale of the future - about 12 years from now when some of the things we see evolving have reached their apotheosis and people everywhere are figuring out how to survive. Oddly this focus on end times is cheering me up somewhat. Perhaps I'm finally getting this impermanence thing.

My fella is away working in Labrador this summer so my life is quieter than usual (and it is usually pretty quiet). I have lots of time to write and to garden so I'm very happy. I have some little trips here and there to do readings of my newest book (Little Birds) and that is fun but I'm not pushing it too much. 

a picture of how I used to spend my summers as a child. We are undoubtedly stopped at a sign telling us about the continental divide - something my father was mysteriously obsessed with.

I've been getting feedback and so far it has all been terrific. This makes me very happy. I'm proud of this book. I was proud of The Crooked Knife too but this is a better book because my writing gets better with practice. An obvious truth but yay!

Here's this month's question (which is optional):

July 1 question - Is there anything you'd like to see changed, added, and/or rearranged about the book publishing industry?

Hmm. . . this is a tough question. I think that is like asking how a building could be remodeled when it is on fire. Soon we will have to rebuild a new model. I do not blame anyone for this but the book publishing industry like the music industry is undergoing an incredible change - I might go on about the good old days but they probably weren't and what is the point? I'm quite glad not to be a publisher, a book store owner, or a music producer these days. I will muckle on best I can and hope sanity will prevail. I do thank people like Jane Friedman who I find a terrific resource for navigating the tricky waters of the publishing business.  And of course Insecure Writer's Support Group (in particular our fearless leader Alex J. Cavanaugh)  for bolstering the insecurities of all of it. 

It will be interesting to see what happens next. Or in the words of that wonderful optimist Maggie Muggins (said at the end of every show) "I wonder what will happen tomorrow, Mr. McGarrity?"