Skip to main content

Insecurities in writing

Captain's Log, Stardate 10.31.2005

Happy Halloween! I'm filching--er, giving away candy at the front door to all these kids. (The Butterfinger Crisp bars are GOOD.)

I just emailed Dee about something that's been bugging me--as I do the rewrites for my suspense, I'm feeling insecure. I got great feedback from Wendy and those authors' scoresheets, so I know what I'd like to do, but I'm having a hard time feeling confident that I can do it.

Please, no fuzzy-wuzzy cyber-hugs or anything like that. This isn't something I need encouragement about. I need to sharpen my focus, sift through all I've learned from books, articles, and workshops. Most of all, I need to pray.

I know my insecurity often comes from Satan. I give in too easily. I was even expecting it, ever since the ACFW conference. I can't shake it. It's like flapping your hand to get gunk off your fingers, but it's too sticky to let loose.

I need to trust God, who has my writing career in His hands, after all. If I'm not ready, I'm not ready. I'm okay with that. I have to trust God to help me with this, it's not something I can do on my own.

Comments

Praying for you, girl. You'll get it done.

Oh, and Heather says I should smack you upside the head. You better keep an eye on me Wednesday.

Mwah ha ha ha!

LOLOLOLOL
Anonymous said…
sheesh the woman rats me out.

Praying for you. You know I believe you can do it. (If you don't know that, where the heck have you been? LOL)

"fuzzy-wuzzy cyber-hugs"

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
Unknown said…
A fuzzy-wuzzy cyber hug? Sheesh, what IS that? LOLOL Sorry, you know I'm not into the whole mushy touchy stuff! LOL But I AM praying for Him to guide you to where HE wants you to be.

I don't think we're REAL writers if we aren't insecure. Some of the "big" writers still battle with it. I think as Christian writers, we're even worse. I mean, truly, how do we do justice to HIM???? I think we just have to listen to His voice in our stories and be obedient in how we respond.

And buckling down and tackling a project where you know you need to tighten, hone, etc, can be daunting. But you're on the right track...praying for His guidance. Don't worry, toots, I'll be storming the throne room on your behalf as you are His obedient servant.

No hugs, but how about a smiley? LOL :)
LaShaunda said…
Hi Camy,

No hugs I promise. LOL!

I feel insecure every other month. Its crazy, but I guess it goes with the territory.

I have a bad episode right after a rejection or reading a good book. I'm like I'll never be good.

Then I tell myself, sure you can, like you said. You get better as you learn.

So keep learning,

LaShaunda
Anonymous said…
Camy, definitely a topic on my mind today... I'm in the same boat. Praying for you.
Sharon Hinck said…
Hey, Camy!
I'm in the same boat today.
I got a crit about "saran wrap" between the reader and the character. What an apt way to put it. But as I study the chapter, I don't know HOW to get rid of that barrier. And I'm reading a book by an author I love who has NOOOO barriers. I'm right in the head of the protag. So I'm feeling SUPER inadequate.
Hang in there! Sharon

Popular Posts

I’m done

Captain’s Log, Stardate 05.17.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Thursday book giveaway is THE PREACHER’S DAUGHER by Lyn Cote My Monday book giveaway is BLIND DATES CAN BE MURDER by Mindy Starns Clark . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for THE PREACHER’S DAUGHTER and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned. I’m done. At the beginning of the year, I made a goal of three books this year. That’s four months per book. I started this manuscript January 15th. I finished in the wee hours of May 17th, so it took me about four months, a day and a few hours. Yay me. I’m going to bed now. Yes, this is the espresso maker on the right, and a professional coffee grinder on the left. By the espresso maker, I mean the one I promised to my long-suffering husband if I got a book contract, as a reward for letting me quit my biotech job and write full-time.

I GOT A CONTRACT!

Captain’s Log, Stardate 03.29.2006 I had a wonderfully funny blog post planned for today, but I got sidetracked by some news yesterday! Zondervan has offered me a three-book contract on my Asian chick-lit series ! I’m still stunned by everything that’s happened. The series is actually a 4-book projected Asian chick-lit series about four cousins who fall under the infamous family title "Oldest Single Female Cousin," and their ruthless, wealthy grandma applies pressure on each of them to improve their lack of love interests. I think the first book is tentatively scheduled to be released in August 2007. The blurb on the series is on my website here . Brandilyn Collins posted to the ACFW loop about my writing journey, and Tamara Cooper asked that I share it. And since you all know how much I like to talk , here it is. My writing journey: Like most writers, I have wanted to write since I was very young. (In high school, I wrote a fantasy novel that will never see the light of day ...

ICRS Tuesday

Captain's Log, Stardate 07.11.2007 I started the day with a great meeting with Al Hsu , an editor at InterVarsity Press. We discussed Asian Americans—fiction, non-fiction, the church, family. He’s been in publishing for many years and is very wise. We had a great discussion. I also met his wife Ellen, who’s totally nice and is also into card-making! I wandered the floor and happened to meet Robin Jones Gunn. She asked if I’d eaten yet, and since I hadn’t, said to join her for lunch. On the way to lunch, we met Mark Mynheir, and he gave me a copy of his book, got The Void . Isn’t that cool? Robin has so much wisdom. I loved having lunch with her. She gave me such good advice, both professionally and spiritually. I hope I’ll get a chance to have lunch or dinner with her at the ACFW conference in September. I met up with agent Steve Laube, and walked with him to his next meeting, but on the way we were hailed by Cec Murphy and agent Jeff Dunn. Jeff had been the first editor to request...

Window shopping

Captain’s Log, Stardate 03.14.2005 Knee update: I went to the doctor today for a checkup, and saw his assistant. I’ve been concerned because there’s still inflammation in my knee joint, and it’s been almost 4 months since the surgery. She said she’d talk to the doctor about it tomorrow and call me. Sometimes he suggests laying off the PT to see if that causes the inflammation to go away, but I don’t know if that will work because lately I’ve been pretty active outside of PT. At PT today, the therapist did ultrasound and some sort of electrical current on the joint. Hopefully that will make the inflammation start to go down. I’ll know by tomorrow, probably. Writing: Mt. Hermon conference starts this Friday! On Thursday night, I’ll be at the Santana Row Borders bookstore to help out (and hopefully learn a bit, too) at a booksigning for several of the ACFW authors who are attending Mt. Hermon . That should be lots of fun. I had a good brainstorming time at ...

Free Christian Romantic Suspense Novels by Camy Tang / Camille Elliot

Curious about what my writing is like? Here’s a list of all my free books and the free short stories, novellas, and novels that you can read here on my blog. I’ll update this post as I add more free reads. Christian Regency Romantic Suspense (as Camille Elliot) The Spinster’s Christmas (Lady Wynwood’s Spies series, Prequel novel) (Posted on my blog as a serial novel, completed) Spinster Miranda Belmoore and naval Captain Gerard Foremont, old childhood friends, meet again for a large Christmas party at Wintrell Hall. Miranda is making plans to escape a life of drudgery as a poor relation in her cousin’s household, while Gerard battles bitterness at the fact that his career was cut short by the injury to his knee. However, an enemy has infiltrated the family party, bent on revenge and determined that Twelfth Night will end in someone’s death … Lissa and the Spy (Lady Wynwood’s Spies series, Prequel novella) Click here to get this ebook FREE when you subscribe to my newsletter In...