Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month, as a writing prompt for IWSG members. Answering it is optional. For August, the question is: “What pitfalls would you warn other writers to avoid on their publication journey?”
This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Erika Beebe, Sandra Hoover, Susan Gourley, and Lee Lowery. Feel free to swing by their sites and see what they’re up to.
My answer to the question (“What pitfalls would you warn other writers to avoid on their publication journey?“)
I have no experience publishing books, so I can’t report on any pitfalls about that process (yet). When it comes to publishing articles, I highly recommend reading the writer guidelines for the magazines you want to submit to, be courteous, professional, and communicative, and stick to the given deadlines. Not following these common-sense rules could turn into pitfalls.
My book progress
In July, I did absolutely nothing with my memoir manuscript. The third draft is still in the hands of my amazing beta readers for feedback, with the main request “Which parts do you think I could/should cut?” I expect to receive their notes, thoughts and suggestions mid-August.
Why did I not work on my book last month? Because my priorities looked like this:
- Week 1: visiting family and friends in Belgium and wrapping up my life there. Posting one blog.
Being in Belgium for the World Cup soccer frenzy. Our national team did really well.
- Week 2: flying back to Boston from Brussels after a three-week stay in my home country, jumping in the arms of my husband, and visiting family, friends, and doctors in New England. Posting one blog.
- Week 3: being immersed in my in-law family, social activities and emotional times (we sent Mark’s sister Dru’s ashes out to sea, five years after her passing – more closure for us as we were on our sailboat in the South Pacific during previous ceremonies), packing up in Newburyport, MA. Posting one blog, translation jobs, one visit to the library to work in peace.
- Week 4: travel from Boston, Massachusetts to Lamy, New Mexico on a return three-day Amtrak train journey in coach (seats only).
Some of Chicago’s skyline, where we had a layover between train rides.
The sightseeing car (which was absent on our first leg from Boston)
Making our way west again
Riding into the sunset
Fun times with a fellow train passenger playing his ukulele
Kansas City by night
Back to familiar surroundings in New MexicoWeek 4 (continued): camper projects in Santa Fe (rats built nests, destroyed the hood insulation, left a mess, and chewed through a hose in our engine), and starting our new adventures in Zesty. A few welcome days of relaxation in Colorado.
Our favorite (free) campground so far
IWSG Twitter Pitch Party
Twice a year, the IWSG organizes a Twitter Pitch party, where authors can tweet a pitch for their finished manuscripts in the hope of collecting hearts from agents or publishers. Once you receive a heart (“like”), you can go ahead and pitch your full proposal, script or book to that particular interested person. In January, I was far from ready to give this original pitch idea a try.
As the year progressed, I told myself to join the party in July, no matter what. So, on July 19th, 2018, I took my computer and moved into the Newburyport library. I opened a Twitter account, kind of figured out how this tweeting thing works, composed my first pitch, and sent it into the abyss at 10am. Over the course of the day, I wrote a bunch of other tweets describing my book in 280 characters (with room for the hashtags of the genre and age group) and posted at an allowed rate of one every hour. The party ran from 8am EST until 8pm EST, so I made sure to keep tweeting until the last minute. I received 0 hearts.
Example tweets to pitch my memoir:
No memoir excerpt this month, but underneath you find three of the tweets I created for the pitch party. Please, let me know in the comments which one strikes your fancy and might entice you to buy this book.
- Join Liesbet on her path to love, loss, freedom and adventure as she pulls you into a decade of her life less ordinary with Mark: 24/7 together, 2 dogs, an 8-year sailing journey, a business at sea, trials, tribulations & life-altering twists. Can they survive together?
- Falling in love with “the guy next door” on an open-ended RV adventure with Karl, Liesbet has 2 choices: continue her passion of traveling or stay with her new lover. Her decision sends her on a roller coaster journey of love, loss, freedom and adventure… at sea.
- 24/7 together from day 1, a Belgian woman and her American captain set off on adventure after adventure with their 2 dogs. Will they survive sailing the oceans in tight quarters, bad weather, immigration trouble, running a business, health issues, and each other?
Your input is always appreciated!
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July 31, 2018 at 16:24
Hi Liesbet,
Just a quick comment today – Option #1 for me. Sorry I don’t bother with Twitter because I so would have given you a bushel of hearts.
July 31, 2018 at 16:31
Thanks for the quick reaction and preference, Karen. Wrapping up my library time as we speak. I hope you have a nice evening!
July 31, 2018 at 17:40
Hi Liesbet – Looks like you had a full and emotional July. Tweet #3 for me. Have a great August!
August 1, 2018 at 10:55
Thanks for the vote and the well wishes, Natalie. We are having fantastic plans for this month. I hope you have an amazing August as well!
July 31, 2018 at 20:20
Hi Liesbet
I agree with Karen. Number one. Your very brave to just put it out there. A huge step.
Good luck with the beta readers.
Laura
August 1, 2018 at 11:00
Thanks for the votes (the number vote and the vote of confidence), Laura. I feel like my beta readers are working harder than me these months. But, it’s partly why I sent my manuscript out this summer. Not much time to deal with it myself. 🙂
July 31, 2018 at 23:05
My vote is for #1! My you have been very busy!!
Peta
August 1, 2018 at 11:07
Thanks, Peta. I’m hoping to pop over to your blog one of these days… 🙂
August 1, 2018 at 00:31
I like option 1 best, although I cannot really say why. That summary kind of speaks to me.
August 1, 2018 at 11:08
Thanks for commenting and voting, Tracy. I’m keeping a tally. 🙂
August 1, 2018 at 01:40
Hi Liesbet! I vote for #2 and I admire anyone that can write a book. I’m sure you will finish our memoir which will definitely make for interesting reading. Have a beautiful week!
August 1, 2018 at 11:10
Thanks for your lovely comment, Sue, and the encouragement and confidence. There is still a big difference between writing a book and publishing a book, says the realist in me… 🙂
August 1, 2018 at 02:57
Liesbet, such a busy month for you but you have acomplished a lot. All 3 tweets are great with a slight extra edge on number 3. I like that you mention your different nationalities on this one 😄
August 1, 2018 at 11:12
Thanks for your input, Gilda. There are so many themes I could focus on with my memoir (and my whole life story); the nationality difference is one of them.
August 1, 2018 at 05:20
Sometimes writing has to take a backseat when real life takes over. I’m happy you had family time, Liesbet. Kudos for you participating in the Twitter pitch! Being a romance writer, the second tweet really grabbed me!
August 1, 2018 at 11:15
I figured you’d pick that one, Jill! It’s so hard to create these tweets, since there are many ways to sum up my book/story and give it a certain angle. And, it is certainly hard to know what would attract certain agents or publishers… Congratulations on the release of your newest book, by the way. I’m looking forward to reading it later this summer.
August 1, 2018 at 05:36
Sounds like you had a busy July! Will there be any time for relaxing in August?
I vote for #2. Sorry you didn’t get any hearts during the pitch party; with twitter, sometimes that’s just how it goes. Good for you for participating all 12 hours though! While traveling no less!
August 1, 2018 at 11:19
Hi Mandy! Thanks for reading and commenting, and voting. In August, I’m planning to take a blogging break and focus on our travels and sightseeing, with some reading interspersed. I’m very much looking forward to that, and to some relaxing in nature. 🙂
I’m not too bummed about the Twitter Party and its results. I’m just starting out with this, and, to be honest, I’m not quite ready yet to send my manuscript to an editor, agent or publisher. It was good to get my feet wet in this kind of social media. Happy travels to you!
August 1, 2018 at 06:39
Having read your memoir (love it!), the part about Mark’s sisters ashes was even more poignant.
Did you really just sit in seats for three days on Amtrak? Sounds like a really bad long-haul flight, but at least with better scenery.
I bet that was fun to be back in Belgium during the World Cup. Glad the Belgian team did so well 🙂
August 1, 2018 at 11:23
I’m so happy you like my memoir, despite its length and work needed. 🙂
We did this train ride twice, once to Boston in June and once back to Santa Fe recently. The seats luckily recline a bit, and we are able to walk around and sometimes get outside for a breath of fresh air. We also take all our own food. The worst thing about these two long trips, was the air conditioning inside the train, which blasts frigid air the whole time!
August 1, 2018 at 10:15
Wow, you were busy! I’m glad you had that final closure with Mark’s sister.
I’m sorry you got no hearts. I think the second Tweet is best.
August 1, 2018 at 11:24
Thanks for the vote, Alex. I’ll have to try it again in six months.
August 1, 2018 at 11:31
Another vote for Tweet #1. Thanks for sharing your lovely travel photos. Wishing you happy writing in August–
August 1, 2018 at 12:10
Thanks, Rhonda. My writing will have to pick up in the fall, as I have the urge to roam and discover Mother Nature the coming months. Enjoy the rest of your (productive) summer!
August 1, 2018 at 11:56
you know what, sometimes we need time away from our work so you can go back to it refreshed and ready to work on it again
August 1, 2018 at 12:11
Isn’t that the truth!? I’m worried this break away from writing might be too long to pick up the thread again. But, I am still excited about finishing the memoir.
August 1, 2018 at 13:20
Pitches look more like character, with description of age, sex, job, face this goal and opposing character attempts to stop them. Addition, if there is room, what will happen if they fail/succeed?
Memoir pitches probably look very different. If it was me I’d do some research to get a general recipe like the one I shared above. No doubt they are out there.
Anna from elements of emaginette
August 3, 2018 at 16:24
I guess it would be a good idea to research memoir pitches, before tweeting them. 🙂 You are always full of good advice, which – in this case anyway – totally makes sense. I guess if I ever want to become a serious writer, I should stop winging it! Thanks for putting my feet on the ground, Anna!
August 1, 2018 at 14:30
I like the second pitch. But any of the three would be great. It looks like you’ve been off on all sorts of adventuring, both good and bleh. I hope you can get back to some sense of normalcy, well normal for a nomad like you.
August 3, 2018 at 16:27
I’m trying to figure out which “normalcy” I prefer right now, Ryan. The one in relation to house sitting (so easy and convenient) or the one full-time on the road traveling (challenging and rewarding). The adventurer in me chooses the last one, of course, but the writer and “wanting to be productive” part of me knows that house sitting is the better option right now. We will see what the future brings. 🙂
August 1, 2018 at 15:34
Hi Liesbet! Your nieces are adorable. I read over your pitches, and I think they each have great elements, but I might try to write a new one that only uses concrete events and details. “Set off on an adventure” for example could be more concrete. I might also avoid ending your queries with questions. And try to focus on what is unique about your story. What separates your travel memoir from other travel memoirs? What makes it unique? Happy IWSG day! http://www.raimeygallant.com
August 3, 2018 at 16:31
Thanks for the sound advice, Raimey. I’ll create a new one, focusing on a concrete theme and being more unique. Now I understand why it’s so hard for writers to create twitter-length pitches. I should have known something was up, when I created each one in about ten minutes. 🙂
August 6, 2018 at 21:39
You’ll get there. Sometimes it takes asking someone else what’s unique about your story for you to realize it.
August 7, 2018 at 14:36
That’s right! 🙂
August 1, 2018 at 18:03
Hi Liesbet. You have had a whirlwind of a month. I don’t blame you for needing a moment. I like the second one best. It’s most specific and gives me more of a visual about the character. I wish you much luck and happy IWSG Day 🙂
August 3, 2018 at 16:33
Thanks for reading, commenting and voting, Erika. And, I appreciate you explaining why you choose #2. I hope you had a fun IWSG month so far and thanks again for co-hosting.
August 1, 2018 at 21:17
Sorry you didn’t get any hearts, but I <3 #1. I don't really 'get' twitter, so I'm not on it much.
As for your pitfall advice, I think it is equally applicable to fiction submissions as well. Following submission guidelines is a must to get past the first of many hurdles.
August 3, 2018 at 16:38
Hi Lee! Thanks for swinging by, commenting and voting. I just started Twitter for this IWSG pitch party, but don’t plan to make it a weekly, let alone a daily thing. I wouldn’t be surprised that my account sits idle until the next IWSG pitch party. 🙂 Too many other things going on in life.
I think if you want to present yourself as a professional writer, following the guidelines should be the first step. I never submitted any fiction, but I can see it be as important in that genre.
August 1, 2018 at 21:55
What an amazing schedule! And I thought I’d done a lot in the past month or so.
All of the tweets entice, but my favorite was the first one.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
August 3, 2018 at 16:41
Thanks, Arlee. The summer seems to be quite busy for everyone, especially people with children, grandchildren or vacation plans. I knew months ago that the summer would be all but productive writing-wise, but I still feel guilty and quite overwhelmed, because of it. I find it difficult to focus on friends, family, and sightseeing, when having a bunch of ideas and writing projects waiting for me.
August 2, 2018 at 14:28
You sure were busy but you did accomplish quite a bit! I’ve had some lower back pain myself for a couple of weeks, not sure what I did, but that pain convinces me to binge watch Netflix instead of sitting down and writing. I’m only posting for Sunday Stills because I am prepping again for Fall Semester. I like the idea of the Twitter pitch and I prefer #3, although there are good things in each 🙂
August 3, 2018 at 16:47
Hi Terri! Sorry to hear about your back. Your summer is going fast as well, I assume. I can’t believe it is already time for you to start prepping for school again. I hope you did make some progress in your fitness book last month. I find it incredibly hard to be productive with anything during the summer, especially when we plan an extended visit to Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. 🙂 I just have to be OK putting my memoir on the back burner for a while.
Enjoy Netflix (sometimes it’s fun to relax and do nothing but watch favorite shows!) and I hope your health improves soon.
BTW, I had to think about you when strolling along the river in Salida, Colorado, and seeing everyone who tubed, kayaked, or used body boards was wearing a life jacket. “Terri would be so proud”, I thought. 🙂
August 3, 2018 at 10:25
Liesbet wow so much going on! congrats for getting on Twitter. What is your Twitter handle and I will go and find you. I do like the first tweet but since each tweet has such a short life span it’s good to use them all. Carrie Rubins does very well on Twitter so you might wan to have a look at how she promotes her books there.
August 3, 2018 at 16:50
Hi Sue! I’ll have to check out Carrie Rubins, one of these days when I have some extra time and internet on my hands. Thanks for the reference. I actually started my Twitter account for the sole purpose of this pitch party and am not using it at all yet. I might get more active in the future, but I can’t add one other social media thing that needs attention to my life right now. I don’t even remember my handle! Once I become active, I’ll let you know my handle, or I’ll find you!
August 3, 2018 at 10:54
Hi Liesbet, I’m a little late to the party, but I’d have chosen Twitter post #3, because it leaves a bit more to the imagination and doesn’t give so much away. Just my opinion. As for your post, good heavens, girl – You’ve been crazy busy, and now I understand your feelings of being stressed! I’m hoping things will settle down for you a bit, now that Zesty has his issues taken care of. Perhaps you can breathe and take in some mountain air! ~ Lynn
August 3, 2018 at 16:55
You’re never late to my parties, Lynn. 🙂 The whole Twitter pitch party was over by the time I posted three of my examples in this blog. I’m curious about which one speaks to people most, for future reference, but it appears that the votes are spread out over the three. Thanks for participating.
The mountain air has been enlightening my nostrils, and the smell of pines as well. Trying to take it a bit easier these days, but still struggling. It will take a while before we will get in a healthy travel groove. Going on a blogging/internet break soon will certainly help! Looking forward to seeing moose later this month. 🙂
August 3, 2018 at 18:03
My back is feeling much better–glad it is temporary! I’m relieved to hear people actually wear life jackets! Enjoy your time in Colorado!
August 4, 2018 at 11:34
We will, thanks. Have a fantastic weekend, Terri!
August 4, 2018 at 13:57
What beautiful pictures. Sounds like a busy time. I was drawn to the 2nd twitter pitch most. Happy belated IWSG day.
August 5, 2018 at 08:12
Thanks for the visit and the vote, Juneta. Usually, I like to stick to one or two photos for my IWSG posts, but since I don’t have time to create multiple blogs about my last eight weeks, I figured I’d combine a few things in this one. 🙂 Glad you liked the pics.
August 7, 2018 at 17:59
Hi Liesbet. So glad you’re on Twitter. Did you hook up your name to your Twitter share button here on your blog? I didn’t see your name attached when I shared this post on Twitter. Follow me @pokercubster. 🙂 And don’t sweat the not writing part. Life happens and we are all entitled to a mental health break. 🙂
I must say I love the 2nd sentence in both tweet 2 and 3, I presume the tweeting was to put out a blurb- like tweet right? 🙂
August 10, 2018 at 10:50
Hi Debby. I haven’t done anything with Twitter yet. Just no time and no internet these days. Not sure when and if, while we are on the road… I just opened an account to join this past IWSG pitch party. Yep, you are right, the idea was to put out a blurb in tweet length. My first ever attempt, with tweeting and Twitter. One day, I’ll get into it a bit more seriously.
August 10, 2018 at 18:04
Great first job my friend. 🙂 Enjoy your break! x
August 13, 2018 at 14:59
I am. 🙂
August 10, 2018 at 16:21
Like you, Liesbet, a big chunk of my summer is devoted to visiting with family and friends — both travelling to go see people, and hosting people who come to visit us in our home. It does affect my regular routines of exercise and writing. Also, in the hot weather, my brain isn’t as sharp!
I was cheering for Belgium in the World Cup. They did so well!
Jude
August 13, 2018 at 14:53
I read your post about not watching much TV, Jude, and I wondered whether you were cheering for Belgium during the World Cup. Thanks! They did a good job, but I’m a bit disappointed that they didn’t make it further. I didn’t see their last game, as I was on a layover in Montreal.
As for us, we never watch TV. I have never owned a TV. Sometimes, when a house sit has a TV (you’d be surprised how many don’t anymore), Mark watches a stupid show and that’s my cue to finally read in a book. 🙂
Yes, seeing friends and sightseeing is fun and is all we are doing right now. It does make me feel a bit guilty to not write or blog at all, though.