The Insecure Writers Support Group is a marvellous group set up by Alex Cavanagh. On the first Wednesday of every month, members post thoughts, fears or words of encouragement for fellow writers.
The link above takes you to details about the group and how to join. You’ll also find a list of bloggers signed up to the challenge – do check them out.
The awesome co-hosts this month are Pat Garcia, J.Q. Rose, and Natalie Aguirre!
This month’s question – Writers have secrets! What are one or two of yours, something readers would never know from your work?
Interesting question! By secret, do you mean that I’ve told no-one at all, or that I choose to share only with a select few? There is nothing at all in the first category, but a fair bit in the second. While everything cannot form an obvious part of my work, my experiences have made me the person I am, and whether consciously or unconsciously, it colours how and what I write.
I grew up a secretive and relatively lonely child, holding myself separate from others as a self-protection methodology. With age (and lots of therapy) came the wisdom that by selecting with care, I could share my true self with others, meaning there was no need for me to have secrets. As a result, there is nothing about me that someone doesn’t know, even if no one person knows it all – for I choose to share aspects of my true self with those who I believe will see, understand and empathise with that particular aspect. There are a small handful who know pretty much all there is, and if I’ve not shared everything with them yet, it’s just a matter of time and opportunity, rather than a lack of trust.
As a final thought, it occurs to me that writers are terribly fortunate in having an opportunity to share their secret, either by publishing under a pen name or by being able to present their secret in a fictional format.
I consider myself a pretty open book these days – are you? Or do you prefer to keep your thoughts close, perhaps even harbouring secrets you’ve told no-one?
© Debra Carey, 2020
debsdespatches.com 
Interesting question. I’m open in my feelings about and opinions of various people and things, but I don’t share all of that on my personal blog. I have a list of topics I won’t talk about in a public format, but would discuss with you in person. So, in answer to your question, Ally Bean, my blogging nom de plume, has secrets.
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Hi,
I consider myself as honest but I am definitely not an open book.
Wishing you a great month of June and thanks for being a part of IWSG.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
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I hold some of my feelings in and only share them with select people I’m close with. And I was really lonely as a kid like you. I like your idea of sharing some secrets through our stories. Hope you have a good writing month.
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I’m pretty open too. Not many secrets. I think the idea from this month’s question was just whether or not there were things you don’t share outright that influence your writing. Or at least that’s how I answered.
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Ally, that’s an excellent distinction. These days I’m not expressing my opinions about world matters in public. With life currently so emotionally heated, I’m choosing to hold my tongue, except when in conversation with Himself as those are the only in person conversations available to me. Yet I’ve not kept the substantive principles behind those opinions secret, so they should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me.
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Pat, decisions about whether to keep stuff private or to share are intensely personal, and to be respected. We each have to do what works best for us. I’m glad you’ve found what works for you. Thanks so much for the visit.
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Natalie, it’s lovely to be seen, thank you. I hope you have a fruitful month of writing too. My writing mojo is returning – slowly – but it’s coming back đŸ™‚
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aandj8804, I had a real struggle with that as there really aren’t things I don’t share outright that influence my writing. The only other way of looking at it is that people who know me could be surprised to find me co-writing a book containing fantasy elements, as I’ve never shown any interest in that genre as a reader. But as that’s my co-author’s particular area of interest, I didn’t feel it was especially informative of me as a person or as a writer. Thanks so much for the visit đŸ™‚
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An interesting question, especially posed to other bloggers. I’m probably too open in what I write; I know there are times when my wife winces at some of the things I share about myself (or even her!). But I decided when I started the blog that none of this would be meaningful unless I was open and honest. Come what may? – Marty
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Glad you are now in a position where you have a select group you do trust that much. My select group is very, very small.
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Marty, I admire your approach and it was one I shared when I first started to use the internet. I have tempered it somewhat in more recent years and have started to ask myself why.
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Alex, nothing wrong with a very very small select group – the good news is that you have one. We all need our select group – writers & non-writers both. Thanks for visiting.
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