Happy New Year! and #IWSG Post

 

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!--from IWSG.com

Our awesome co-hosts this month are:  Erika Beebe, Olga Godim, Sandra Cox, Sarah Foster, and Chemist Ken!

January's question: What's the one thing about your writing career that you regret the most? Were you able to overcome it?

I think my nephew said it best this NYE when he said, "I'm going to trust myself more."

My biggest regret of my "writing career" is that it took me a very long time to trust my own writing. I had some successes scattered throughout the years, getting a couple poems and an article into print but rejection after rejection of my longer works got to me. It wasn't really a career at all.

Especially when my girls were little, it seemed like I was wasting precious time on something that was fruitless. So, I gave up trying to be published and I simply wrote for myself by journaling, blogging, or collecting thoughts that appeared out of nowhere.

Finally, in 2021 I took the leap to get back into the publishing world and my first book, One Year on Broadway, was published! It took me about twenty-five years to trust that my writing was good enough to persist. Now, I feel that I can say my writing career has truly begun and I trust myself and my writing more-though I need to keep working on that.

So trust yourself and who knows what you will accomplish!

We've made it to 2022, which seems like a huge accomplishment after all that 2020/2021 threw at us!

Happy New Year! 

Love to all!

Kathryn

 

Success...How do you know if you have it? #IWSG

 

It's September 1st and it's time for another IWSG post! The Insecure Writer's Support Group was created by Alex J. Cavanaugh (who is giving my book a shout out today! Thanks Alex!) as a way for all of us writers to share our fears, anxieties, and successes in a safe and non-judgmental space. Over the years, I have found this group to be one of the most supportive and welcoming places, boosting my confidence when needed and teaching me several great tips of the trade.

  

This month our awesome hosts are: Rebecca Douglass, T. Powell Coltrin @Journaling Woman, Natalie Aguirre, Karen Lynn, C. Lee McKenzie.

And don't forget, today is the deadline to submit your Sweet Romance for the IWSG Anthology contest!

September Question: 

How do you define success as a writer? Is it holding your book in your hand? Having a short story published? Making a certain amount of income from your writing?

There are certain accomplishments that pretty much everyone would agree are signs of being successful. Having a book on the "Best Sellers" list, winning an Olympic gold medal, or making lots of money. Most people never accomplish any of those things. If those top accolades were the only way to be successful, almost no one would be.

To be successful as an author, do you need to sell a million or more copies? Maybe some authors measure their success by books sold, but that seems too high a bar for most of us.

According to Google, Amazon alone offers over 48 million books! Unless you're already a best selling author it's hard to stand out in a crowd that enormous, even if your work is as good as Stephen King's or Maya Angelou's. Hundreds of thousands of people might love your work, if only they knew it existed.

I would LOVE for my book to become a best-seller. But I'm also realistic. Just like my figure skating students who dream of the Olympics, I know that there is only a minuscule chance that I make it to the top. And that's okay.

Maybe my own definition of success as a writer will evolve over time. At this moment however, in the middle of releasing my debut book, One Year on Broadway, I feel like a success.

I made it through the entire multi-year process of writing, re-writing, editing, arranging an outside editor, and finding a cover artist. Then I faced a roadblock, the kind that closes all six lanes of traffic, which threatened the entire project. I wondered if I should give up but I chose to forge ahead. Finally, I made it to release day. To me, that is success. Whether or not I sell fifty copies or a million, I'm happy with the fact that I told the story I wanted to tell and now it is out in the world. I have a feeling, though that if Stephen King only sold fifty copies of his next book, he might consider that one a failure. 

I would love to hear how you define success as a writer, have you made it yet?

Did you send in an entry to the Anthology contest?

And lastly, in honor of the release of One Year on Broadway last week, I wanted to share with you a short clip of Once on This Island from Broadway so you can see for yourself just how special this musical was.

Enjoy!

Have a wonderful rest of your week!

Kathy :)

Writing Is My Sanctuary--#IWSG post

 

We have made it through half of 2021 already which seems impossible, but here we are and now it is the first Wednesday in July!

The first Wednesday of every month is the Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) Day! The IWSG is an amazing community of writers brought together by Alex J. Cavanaugh. It is a place where we can share our fears, successes, thoughts, and expert tips about writing in a safe space without the fear of feeling foolish. Sign up here to join!

Our awesome co-hosts for this month are:  Pat Garcia, Victoria Mare Lees, Chemist Ken, and Louise–Fundy Blue

Every month an optional question is asked. July's question is: 

What would make you quit writing?

Writing is my sanctuary, my release, my meditation. Every since my hand could physically hold a pencil I wrote. There was magic in putting a mark on a blank paper that other people could understand. Before I understood how to form my own sentences on paper, I would copy down every word of my favorite books. 

In fifth grade, I couldn't wait until Thursday--the day our teacher instructed us to use our spelling words to create a story.

I have never stopped writing. It's not always stories, sometimes it's poems, sometimes it's detailed journaling to remember trips, special occasions, or the daily simple details of life. Sometimes it's just putting thoughts down as a way to figure out this crazy journey of life.

Writing is always there for me.

There are only two things that could make me stop writing: 

1. Advanced dementia to the point that I can't form sentences--which is an actual possibility for me since my dad recently passed from Parkinson's with severe dementia

2. Death

Until either of those occur, I will always turn to writing in some form. I still believe their is magic in words. After all, where else can we travel through time and experience the past except in reading the words of Shakespeare, Cervantes, or Alexander Dumas; or begin to understand what others around us in our own times have experienced without reading Audre Lorde, James Baldwin, Lorraine Hansberry or countless others.

Whether or not anyone else reads my words, for me, writing is as integral to my being as breath.

Is there anything that would make you stop writing? Has it been a part of you for a long time or did you recently discover the magic of writing? 

*On a side note, I'm still looking for anyone who would like to help out with my upcoming book launch. If you're interested in giving it a review or being a part of my blog hop team email me at kjmckendry@yahoo.com 

One Year On Broadway: Finding Ourselves Between the Sand and the Sea by Kathryn McKendry

A true story of forbidden love, adventure, and letting go

How do you know when it’s time to close one chapter of your life and begin a new one? To let go of the past, open your heart, and trust in a new beginning?

At first we said, “no.” We knew it was ridiculous.

And yet something in our hearts led us back to the Island.

Having no idea where it would lead, my husband and I took a leap of faith and became co-producers of the Broadway Revival of Once On This Island, the musical that had given us so much. 

Even if it failed, we would have a great story to tell.

We ended up with so much more.

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Kathy