Sunday, August 12, 2012

WriteOnCon - to post or not to post




Once again I'm participating in WriteOnCon.  For those of you who don't know about it, it's a TOTALLY FREE online writers' conference for kid lit.  Registration is free.  Participation is free.  Lurking is free.  Exposure to industry professionals is free.  Critiques are free.  It's all free.  Did I say free?  Yes, I did!

Basically in all my spare time this Tuesday and Wednesday, I'll be sitting on my coccyx in front of my computer and absorbing information like a sponge.  Hopefully, I'll make a few friends along the way.

Obvs, I'm excited about the conference.  So, now why have I been debating whether to post my QL and first 250/450 pages?  It's like the blind-date jitters, I guess, and the reasons basically center around self-esteem (i.e., how bad do I suck as a writer?).

It's weird that this fear of being seen peeks its ugly head in my room right now when opportunity is pinging on my computer screen.  Seriously, why doesn't my fear have any logic?  And why have my friends been asking today about the saboteur archetype as defined by the brilliant Caroline Myss?

Saboteur - sabotage.  Fear gives rise to self-sabotage.  Oh.

Best not to let irrational fear get in my way.  My writing has stood naked in front of my critique groups already and survived without coloring me permanently pink from embarrassment.

So, what am I going to do??  Plan of attack.
1) Troll through other people's writing;
2) Leave some critiques.
3) Breathe
4) Post QL.
5) Enjoy

Participating in WriteOnCon 2012?  Friend me!  user name: petrichor