Writer's Digest: An IWSG Post

My mom got me a subscription to Writer's Digest when I was twelve. Back then, I had zero appreciation for it. There were very few colored pictures and huge articles with many, many words. It simply couldn't compete with  Mad Magazine or Tiger Beat for my adolescent attention.

But she kept paying for them and eventually, I did start reading the articles. In time, I wrote my first novel and immediately shelved it. Same with the second. My third attempt, I saved on a computer disc that somehow got corrupted. All that work! It was lost before I had the chance to print it out and stuff it in a manila envelope. 

Fortunately, my dad was awesome with computers. I gave him the disc and asked him to see if he could recover my file. I should have known I couldn't trust my parents to rescue a file and not read it. My mom was instantly excited. All that money spent on Writer's Digest wasn't in vain. 

Immediately, she was my biggest fan, loudest nag, and best cheerleader through every insecurity. Last year, she passed away and it was an odd feeling, finishing a story and not having my mom to send it to. It was like I was done, but who cared? So, I closed the file and started another story. 

In a weekly Celebrate the Small Things post update, I mentioned I finished. I thought announcing I was done would spark something in my spirit to move the story from hard drive to publication, But it didn't. The odd feeling of "now what?" lingered. 

But then I got an email. Jo Wake, who is always gracious enough to beta read the roughest of rough drafts, sent a simple message...Why didn't I get to read the new story? 

I sent it straight away heartened by the reminder that as long as writers have other writers, we will always have support.    

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IWSG Day Question of the month: It's spring! Does this season inspire you to write more than others, or not? Not. Spring is when life starts to get busy around the Seckman house. Colleges empty and my boys head home for the summer. They have this strange idea that when they're home, I'll feed them... Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh and this month's co-hosts: JQ Rose, C. Lee McKenzie, Raimey Gallant, & E.M.A Timar!  Celebrate the Small Things. To be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is visit the Celebrate page on Lexa's Blog for the rules, and then post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week.  It can be about writing or family or school or general life.  This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever! (Originated by VikLit) Boy #1, Caleb, is home from China. It feels good to have my baby back on American soil.  Boy #2, Cole,  will be graduating from WVU and boy #4, Conner, will be graduating from high school in May.  And all of them will be home next week!