IWSG: Wednesday, September 1, 2021 ~ Defining Success as a Writer

It's the first Wednesday of the month,
the day that members of the
Insecure Writer's Support Group
share their writing struggles
and writing successes
and offer their encouragement
and support to fellow writers.






To visit the IWSG website, click here.

To become a member of the IWSG, click here.

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Every month the IWSG announces a question that members can answer
with advice, insight, a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.

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Happy September, Everyone!

I hope this month finds you happy and inspired!

I haven't felt very successful as a writer this year,

even with my generous definition of writing success.

The last twelve plus months have been challenging for Terry and me.

Every time I think I'm getting back on track with writing, life, something derails me.

But, as a perpetual optimist, I think things are improving,

and what matters most is today marks 144 days since Terry's heart

stopped in the catheterization lab and he was paddled back to life.

Better Days Are Here, I Hope!

Terry and I at East 8, Circa

Las Vegas, Nevada,USA

August 13, 2021

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

All Rights Reserved

My ultimate definition of writing success is publishing my memoir.

I'm sure everyone is sick of hearing I'm writing a memoir and is wondering where it is.

It exists, but I am certainly struggling with it.

I didn't enter the IWSG Anthology contest this year.

I couldn't handle sweet romance with Terry recovering from his heart attack.

I could barely deal with my blog, which floundered too.

But, I'm moving forward with writing.

I have never defined writing success

as making a certain amount of income from my writing.

I have defined it throughout my life as doing the best writing I could,

piece by piece, whatever the purpose or genre.

I have always written for me,

and as long as I'm writing something that satisfies me, I feel successful.

That's why I haven't felt very successful this year.

I haven't been able to write like I want to, neither in quantity or quality.

I am someone who has always craved security.

I was incapable of quitting my day job to write,

so I never considered supporting myself by writing.

Before I could even think about writing,

I had to have a job and know I could support myself.

Knowing I could stand on my own two feet was my definition of success, period.

Oil Patch Days

Driller Jack Taylor and I, DNB Rig

Hodgeman County, Kansas, USA

February 1981

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

All Rights Reserved

My careers as a petroleum geologist and a teacher were demanding,

and I always gave 110%.

But throughout it all, I wrote, and I felt good about what I wrote.  

I considered myself a writer.

Writing for me included a thesis, papers on a wide range of topics,

scientific reports, newspaper articles, speeches, grants, journals,

short stories, plays, and some pitiful attempts at writing poems and novels.

My biggest writing thrills were seeing my plays produced at school

and seeing my short story "Ugly Little Bastards" published in The Antigonish Review.

MacBeath, Louise. "Ugly Little Bastards." The Antigonish Review, edited by George Sanderson, 48th ed., St Francis Xavier University, 1982, pp. 75-81

After retiring, I decided that I was going to write exactly and only what I wanted to write.

For better or worse, I stumbled into blogging and have 655 published posts.

I've added blogging to my list of writing genres, and I am proud of my blog and its content.

But that's nothing compared with how proud I was when I was chosen

to be included in the 2020 IWSG anthology, Voyagers:  The Third Ghost.

"My" Anthology Arrives

Aurora, Colorado, USA

April 24, 2020

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

All Rights Reserved

I feel immense satisfaction and happiness

when I hold The Antigonish Review and Voyagers,

but deep down inside I know I won't feel true success until I publish my memoir.

Writing a memoir is not easy.

It has been painful, traumatic, for me to confront my past,

and noxious bubbles are still surfacing in my muskeg.

But I have to do it, somehow capture it in the right words.

I have thousands and thousands and thousands of words.

Turning them into a cohesive, meaningful whole is my challenge.

I will get there! 

Meanwhile Terry and I have a 37th wedding anniversary to celebrate today!

Mr. and Mrs. Terry Barbour Leaving the Church

Parker, Colorado, USA

September 1, 1984

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

I hope each of you has fun visiting around today.

I know I'm looking forward to reading your posts!

Happy writing to each of you in September!

Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com 

My next post will be on Friday, September 10th.