Wednesday, September 2, 2015

IWSG: A Summer of Depression, Overcoming Demons While Facing New Ones, and Self Publishing Thoughts

It's that time again! Special thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh for creating and hosting the Insecure Writer's Support Group, a monthly forum for writers to share insecurities without fear of reprisal ...

What I'm about to say goes against the grain of the joy and jubilation this season usually conveys: I'm glad this summer is over. Before I'm dismissed as a warm-weather hater, let me explain. The reason why I haven't been very active on this site or in social media is because the worst bout of depression I've had in years decided to creep in without any plans of checking out. And it got bad. Like really bad. So bad that I've hardly written a thing and played way more video games than is healthy.

Natalie Whipple echoed exactly what I was experiencing this summer, and her post gave me the courage to come forward about it and not hide in a dark corner with a thumb in my mouth, Prince John style.

It's hard to pinpoint all the triggers and I'd rather not revisit them, but I will say that my perception on publishing is going through a paradigm shift (say that five times fast). I love it, but man, it's hard. I never imagined just how hard publishing is after the first book. With our combined efforts, we covered five states in three months. The reception's been wonderful, lots of great reviews on Goodreads and Amazon, and we have international fans asking for more. Thank you!

So, we've been asked, "When's the next book coming out?" We did write Woven as a standalone with series potential for a reason. To be clear, yes, we are writing the next book and we intend to finish it. I can't really say when the next book will release, but it will, in time.

As far as dealing with depression is concerned, what I know for sure is that I need to keep writing. Yes, it helps if writing can pay the bills, but as of now, for me, I have financial needs to meet for my growing family. This is why I've considered taking a shot at self publishing. If I decide to do so, you will see the zombie novel fairly soon. The trick is to stay busy and not allow myself to get distracted. I allowed gaming to be my distraction this summer, for too long. When I overheard my kid's concern, I deleted everything. I've since written three chapters for three new stories, set up a newsletter, and did a load of dishes.

A load of dishes doesn't sound like a big deal, but it really is.

This adventure is far from over. Some challenges have been overcome while new ones have taken their place. As cliche as this may sound, the adventure is just beginning. There will be some changes to the way I blog, and I hope you like the change all through September.

Now for a shameless plug: If you know someone who might enjoy a fun, medieval ghost adventure, please recommend Woven to them. The hardbacks are $12 on Amazon right now. And if you've read it, Amazon could use some more reviews too. And if you would like to keep up with what I'm up to on a more personal level, and be eligible for exclusive news/giveaways, please subscribe to my newsletter.

You guys have my greatest appreciation and thanks for your support this summer. Let's make the best with what we have - each other.

What are some ways that you combat depression? Any tips for self publishing you're willing to share? What books are you reading?

I'm David, and "this is our home, they will not possess it."

27 comments:

  1. Just glad you shared that with the Dragon Fellowship. Tough to go it alone and that's just what the devil wants.
    We have a ton of resources at the IWSG on self-publishing. (Diane set up that page, so she probably knows a lot more.) And there are a ton of authors here online that can guide you in the right direction.

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  2. Yes, as Alex says, help is out there. You don't have to go the Self route alone... We love you! And Woven!

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  3. Hi. Have not visited your blog much but as another YA writer I wanted to add my heartfelt encouragement and best wishes as you pursue self-publishing! I find the whole process daunting (still working on first novel), but there are a lot of bloggers out there who have figured it out, including those at the ISWG site as Alex points out. I'm adding Woven to my TBR list. As a Walking Dead fan, this should be right up my alley :) Also...kudos to your son for helping you get over the writer hump. Our families know us best (smile).

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  4. I'm intensely glad I've never had to struggle with depression. So many of my friends do. I hope you pull through this bout soon!

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  5. Hi David - I totally endorse your book "Woven" - I've read it and highly recommend the story line ... it's so well crafted and woven together ... I loved the premise.

    I also loved some of the phrases and ideas - totally appropriate for today's reading: I encourage as many as possible buy and read this book - it will give you masses of ideas too .. it's so creative.

    Depression is a terrible disease and so difficult for others to understand - a great friend has major post-natal depression that is held in control thankfully. It's so difficult. I've known others who suffer too ...

    Take care and as your kids have done - they'll 'push' to help you get out of the challenge - gaming, gambling, drinking - sadly don't do any good ... I sincerely hope you can all manage ...

    With lots of thoughts .. and the marketing ideas from Alex look like a good step forward ... Diane is very knowledgeable, as too Elizabeth ... all the best - Hilary

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  6. I've been through my fair share of publishing-related depression, especially after I first published. It's a challenging time, especially that spell immediately after the book comes out. Writing is usually my coping mechanism for depression, but there's something about a book release that makes it tricky to get back into writing afterwards! I hope the bad spell passes soon. I definitely related to Natalie Whipple's post, too.

    As for self-publishing, I can recommend Susan Kaye Quinn's Indie Author Survival Guide as a fantastic general resource, which covers all the bases. :)

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  7. Hey brother, you're hanging tough. And there is light at the end of the tunnel. I think you should take your shot at self publishing. It ain't easy, but then again, nothing worthwhile is.

    Depression has sucked me in as well this summer. It got so bad, I actually decided to get therapy. It has helped tremendously.

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  8. My depression is mostly situational, so I'm stuck. Kind comments from fans and interacting with my writing buds helps. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have that.

    Hang in there, David. You're on your way back up. ;)

    IWSG #119 until Alex culls the list again

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  9. Sorry for your depression, but ... keep fighting. That's what I do, when it hits. Is depression a professional disease for writers, I wonder? So many of us have it. If everything fails, look into your mirror and stretch your mouth into a smile. Not real, I know, but do it anyway and tell yourself: others have it even worse. It helps, I promise. Your smile will become real if you do it long enough.

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  10. Depression is the worst, and there's no hyperbole about that. It's one of the most painful and frustrating things since it can just leap up at you. I think the load of dishes is a great accomplishment. I know how hard it can be to do the simple things when you're stuck in the middle of the black pit. I hope it goes away for good and all your writing goes well.

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  11. I've had low-grade depression my entire life and it is the pits. Pun intended. I'm glad you are doing better and I wish you much success with the marketing of your book.

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  12. Depression is a monster, and i hope it leaves soon!

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  13. My way to deal with stress, overwhelming situations, and just life's INSANITY... I exercise. It WORKS.... Take a long walk. Breath deeply, and become more in tune with nature. You live in a gorgeous state. Get OUT and enjoy what God's created.

    ALL the best, David. We've got your back.

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  14. Depression can be really debilitating. I've found a few things that help when things get really bad, but it took me a long time to find what works for me. I hope you're feeling better. Maybe the video game playing will generate some new story ideas.

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  15. I'm glad you decided to share your story. I'm sure it will help others as well. It's one of the main reasons I still talk about mine (among other things).

    I'm glad you accomplished so much after deleting the games. It looks like you're already on your way up. You know that you and your family are always in my prayers.

    I hope you find the best self-publishing route to help bring my zombie book to print! :) (((HUGS))) Eva

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  16. Oh boy, do I know the DOWN that comes after a high. There are moments of glory in publishing, but they are invariably followed by lows. Because no one can keep the high going day after day.

    I do hope that in time, it might even out. Maybe you can say, "Meh. Just had a new book come out." And then, "Meh. Just had a rejection for the book I spent all year working on."

    But I don't think that really happens.

    On another note, YOU'RE WATCHING BONES TOO? I just discovered this show on Netflix and I'm doing that shameful thing where I binge watch multiple episodes per day instead of ... well, writing.

    At least, great minds Netflix binge alike.

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  17. Depression is so tough to beat, and success after such a long dry stretch can be exhausting. I hope you get your mojo back soon. Good luck with the new project; but remember, Woven took some time to write also. Cut yourself some slack.

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  18. I'm sorry to hear you had a bad summer. Depression is very hard. It's good that you are overcoming it. Stay strong and keep doing the things you love.

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  19. The Fellowship is there for you and I hope it helps. Glad you have opened up here too. I am sure it will help.

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  20. Depression runs in my family. It can be brutal. I hope you're feeling better soon. It's not easy to combat something so vague and heavy. Get whatever help you need and nurture yourself in positive ways. Sometimes it's the simple things that can make the biggest difference.

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  21. My daughter is always there, asking me nearly every day how the writing is going. And if I'm watching TV, or surfing the net, or just sitting there doing nothing when she asks, that question will spur me to get up and write.
    Sorry to hear about your depression. I hope that your writing will lift you out of it.

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  22. So sorry you've been struggling with depression. I know how hard it can be to get back into the swing of things whenever it hits that hard. (My art progress has been extremely low this year, thanks to my own depression.) Good luck keeping busy so your depression doesn't overwhelm you!

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  23. Glad to hear you are surfacing after a tough time. I recently read Natalie's post and agree that she put depression and the pitfalls of publishing into words quite well. It's amazing how our kids can keep us going sometimes. Take care!

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  24. I've had a similar experience recently, happy to hear you're feeling more like yourself. Wish I could give you some plucky 'overcoming' quote.. but we both know it's all about today, and then the next day after, one at a time, making your own decision on how to attack each day as they come. Good luck on your struggle back to form. I'm pulling for you.

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  25. Sorry you've been feeling down, my friend. I hope this fall brings all the things that summer failed to deliver.

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  26. It takes some bravery to discuss openly your depression and I applaud you for it. We have not yet begun to truly understand how the brain works. We know more about the heart, kidney, etc... but the brain? We know so little. If I have a bad day, I sometimes just let the tears flow (for a girl) but I will watch a movie that I love. Film always made me feel better. I have gone and taken a walk when I can (I have joint issues) and I will pick up a book and start to read which is usually film books or art books...anything to try to get my mind off the darkness. I am fortunate enough to not have this stay for a long time. I am glad you found support here and have your family also.

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  27. I'm a bit late coming to this party, but my IWSG post dealt with some of the same issues. Glad to say that letting it out seems to have pushed back some of the triggers. Good luck, David, hope ComicCon and all the other things you had for September have helped.

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