You can find the fabulously insecure here.
I notice for the first time today that this is the Insecure Writer's Support Group, not the insecure author's support group.
I'm insecure today because of the little drama indicated above in the title.
I prepped something important, read it twice, sent it. Then, thought about shooting myself.
I had addressed the plural of "want" with a needless apostrophe. Naturally, I missed this gem.
Then, I inadvertently dropped a "y" on "they" and confused a sentence.
What was I sending? A cover letter for a anthology project. Yes, I sent an email cover letter for a writing project and failed to exercise due diligence.
Cheap lesson. I wasn't an "author" before I hit <send>. Wasn't likely to be afterward, either.
I got lucky and drew a little sympathy. Lucky. Bloody lucky.
What if I was writing the agent-most-likely-to-sell my project? We've all heard the stories: best foot forward. Perfect or out.
Anyway, the whole gist of this little morality play is that when it is important, wait, Wait until morning. Wait for another day after that and look it over again.
Change one thing only? Then wait another day.
We know in our writing that fresh eyes see problems in our prose we missed when working ferociously on the tale.
Use that same perspective in your professional writer-ly correspondence.
The level of angst at missing a shot because of your own screw-up might not be as bad as that which I experience. I bet it's still pretty bad, though.
I'd spare you that.
Ice your most important correspondence before a round of inspection and line edits.
I beg you.
You're insecure enough. So am I.
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