Category: IWSG

When The Going Gets Tough-June #IWSG

  By IWSG

Welcome to another month of the Insecure Writers’ Support Group Blog Hop.

Thank you to the awesome co-hosts for the June 1 posting of the IWSG: SE White, Cathrina Constantine, Natalie Aguire, Joylene Nowell Butler, and Jacqui Murray!

June 1 question – When the going gets tough writing the story, how do you keep yourself writing to the end? If have not started the writing yet, why do you think that is and what do you think could help you find your groove and start?

I’m a pantser – that means I don’t plan my stories out before I start writing. I may have a sketchy idea of what I want to say, but I ‘discover’ what happens as I write.

Most of the time. That also means that sometimes I get stuck along the way. Who am I kidding? I get stuck lots! How do I keep myself writing towards the end?

There are two techniques I use. The first one is to go back and read what I’ve already written. Just read. That frequently puts me back in touch with my characters and shows me where the story wants to head next. But it isn’t perfect. Sometimes I have to take it an additional step and start editing.

That puts me in touch with the deep core of the story as I prune and cut words and sentences I don’t need. Even whole scenes may disappear. What I’m left with is stronger, hopefully more compelling, and clears the path to move on in my story.

As far as not getting started writing? My problem is finding the ‘right’ place to start. I think it took me six attempts to find the beginning of my WIP. What started out as a full chapter is less than a page of a prologue. I’ve got a few other stories waiting in the wings that I’ve written and re-written the first few paragraphs but don’t feel as if I have a good grasp on the story yet.

And don’t forget – that ‘rule’ about writing every day is only a suggestion. It can be good to put your pen down for a day or two and allow your story and you to have a break. Life can interfere with the creative process, and it’s okay to acknowledge that.

At least that’s how I see it. Check out  the suggestions of some other authors. Just follow the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe!

The Best of Times, The Worst of Times #IWSG

  By IWSG

 

Welcome to the May edition of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group  blog hop.

The awesome co-hosts for the May 4 posting of the IWSG are Kim Elliott, Melissa Maygrove, Chemist Ken, Lee Lowery, and Nancy Gideon!

May 4 question – It’s the best of times; it’s the worst of times. What are your writer highs (the good times)? And what are your writer lows (the crappy times)

I’ll start with the good stuff. Writing “The End” on a manuscript I’ve fought with for a year. Sure, now comes editing, but at least I can pat myself on the back. Or finding the solution to a plot hole that had been eluding me, or a part of a character’s personality that makes the story stronger.

Then there are the compliments coming from the beta reader. Sure, they are sprinkled with suggestions for improvements, but at least they don’t hate the story. Somedays, that’s all I can ask for.

Maybe the best thing is that first 5-star review left by a fan. Even 4 1/2 stars are enough to lift the spirit. Heck, any review feels like I’ve won a prize. 

What’s the low point? When the book I’ve poured my heart into writing isn’t an instant best seller. In  fact, it barely gets noticed. That’s all I’m going to say about that.

Don’t forget to check out the posts from some of the other authors by following the links below.

And, as always, until next time, please stay safe!

 

To Write or Not to Write #IWSG

  By IWSG

 

March 2 question – Have you ever been conflicted about writing a story or adding a scene to a story? How did you decide to write it or not?

The awesome co-hosts for the March 2 posting of the IWSG are Janet Alcorn, Pat Garcia, Natalie Aguirre, and Shannon Lawrence!

Someone’s been reading my journal!

When I finished writing my last release, The Ranger’s Dog Tags, I was sure I was done writing the series, The Harmony Duprie Mysteries, and its characters. It felt good. I was ready to move along to a new series and a new challenge.

Then Jake happened.

Jake was one of the secondary characters in the series. Although he appeared in all six books, and attempted to take over a time or two, I never got a good handle on him. It turns out he was waiting for his chance. He wanted me to write his story.

I had my doubts about it and wasn’t sure where he would take me. I figured it would be a short story, and didn’t know what I’d do with it. But, to get him out of my system, I started writing. And it turned into a book.

And I thought, okay, that was fun. But it was a different genre than I’ve written previously, and I didn’t know if it was any good. Or if I should spend time revising it. I wasn’t comfortable with it. Jake insisted.

Then he demanded I put it through a critique group, and it became a stronger story. And nudged me to send it off to my editor. Still, I wasn’t committed.

My cover artist designed a brilliant cover, and I realized I couldn’t put off a decision. Yet, I procrastinated.

Last Saturday, I took the plunge, and revealed a release date in my newsletter. I’m still not 100% sure I know what I am doing. I’m as nervous about this book as I was about my first one. But on April 2, 2022, The Fall of Jake Hennessey will be available.

Since you’ve made it this far, it’s only fair that I give you a hint about what the book is about.  So here’s the blurb:

Jake Hennessey deals in selling fine jewelry of an illegal nature. The thrill of getting away with it is his personal addiction. When he hears a rumor about a rare old book in the personal collection of a small-town librarian, he gets the urge to try a new game.

After all, even jewel thieves get bored.

But the librarian, Harmony Duprie, isn’t what he expected and the challenge becomes serious business.

In order to win, Jake’s going to have to play by a new set of rules—and make them up as he goes along—because this time, he’s playing for the rest of his life.

Don’t forget to check out the other authors on this hop. Just follow the links below.

And, as always, until next time, please stay safe.

Stresses and Delights: A Writer’s View #IWSG

  By IWSG

 

It’s the first Wednesday of the month, and time for another Insecure Writer’s Support Group post. This month’s topic:
 
In your writing, what stresses you the most? What delights you?
The awesome co-hosts for the December 1 posting of the IWSG are PJ Colando, Diane Burton, Louise – Fundy Blue, Natalie Aguirre, and Jacqui Murray!
 
I’m going to bet that a lot of us are going to answer the first part of the question the same. What stresses me the most? Publicity! Well, publicity in general, social media more specifically.
 
I’m an introvert. I want to spend my times trying to make words sing. But I want people to read those words, so I have to make myself available to my audience. Some days it’s fine, other days I want to crawl into my writing cave and hide away, when I don’t have the mental stretch to skip past yet another Facebook ad.
 
On the other hand, I love doing in-person events where I can talk to people about my books and writing. I may be worn out at the end of the day, but it’ll be a good tired.
 
What delights me? A good review. Heck. almost any review. Knowing that someone cares enough about my story to take their time and share their thoughts with the world is a high compliment. And a 5 Star review can’t be beat. If you’re reading this, go review an author’s book. It doesn’t have to be mine. But hopefully, it’ll be one of the authors on this hop. You can find them in the list below.
 
That’s it for this month. I hope you’ll come back in January. Or sooner, to check out my other blog posts! Anyway, until next time, please stay safe.
 
 
 
What delights me? A good review. Heck, almost any review. Knowin

Your Title or Your Blurb – Which is Harder? #IWSG

  By IWSG

Time for another Insecure Writer’s Support Group post.
This month’s question:
What’s harder to do, coming up with your book title or writing the blurb?

The awesome co-hosts for the November 3 posting of the IWSG are Kim Lajevardi, Victoria Marie Lees, Joylene Nowell Butler, Erika Beebe, and Lee Lowery!

Back when I wrote poetry – some of it pretty good – I had the worst trouble coming up with titles. How to condense those few words I’d written down to two or three words? It seemed impossible!

But then I started writing fiction, and it was a new ballgame. The titles came to me before I’d even finished a first draft. That was especially true for books that were not the first in a series.

However, we won’t mention the book I’m working on now. The title is giving me a hard time. Well, the whole book is giving me a hard time. It’s a new genre for me, but I’m not giving up on it.

But blurbs are hell! And everyone has a different idea of what makes a good blurb. I can hand a draft of a blurb to three different authors and have it rewritten three different ways. How long should it be? Are all the verbs action words? Are all the adverbs eliminated? Have you left the reader with enough information to hook them without giving away the ending? Don’t forget to include keywords Amazon algorithms are looking for! Just when you thought you’ve got it right, a fourth person comes along with more suggestions.

I think you know where I am heading. Yeah, blurbs are harder. That’s my vote.

Just for fun, here’s the blurb I’m NOT going to use for my next book.

Jake Hennessey lived by his own set of rules

Always be nice to old ladies and little kids.
Always watch out for other drivers.
Always keep an eye out for the cops.
Never carry a gun.
Never sell drugs.
Never steal from the bride or groom at a wedding.
Never get too close to a potential target
Never stay in one place too long.

Then he met Harmony Duprie.

To find out what other authors think about this topic, checkout a few of the links below.

Until next time, please stay safe!

Writing to the Edge #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
 
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!

October 6 question – In your writing, where do you draw the line, with either topics or language?

The awesome co-hosts for the October 6 posting of the IWSG are Jemima Pitt, J Lenni Dorner, Cathrina Constantine, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, and Mary Aalgaard!

This question is eerily similar to Monday’s topic, but not by any grand plan. Coincidences happen.  I’ll see what I can do to add something new. (You can see that post below.)

On Monday, I wrote about my decision to not write sex scenes. (Because frankly, I don’t think I’d be any good at it., not because I have a personal objection to them.) I also don’t write horror, because I don’t enjoy it. I don’t read it, I don’t watch horror movies, I don’t write horror stories. There are enough bad things in this world without adding to them. (But if you enjoy them, go for it.) Interestingly, I have written scenes with mild violence. It fits in a different category.

Language isn’t a show stopper. (I wrote about that a few weeks ago!)  I believe in using language appropriate to the character and the setting. And if that means throwing in a few swear words, I’ll do it. The reader has heard them all before. (I don’t write children’s books.)

I also tackle controversial subjects in my books, but in ways that maybe you don’t realize what I did until later. I’ve mentioned the women’s movement, LGBTQ rights, law enforcement issues, the politics around marijuana and drugs, and other social issues.

There’s lots of things I haven’t tackled, but I still have time and ideas. I guess I’ll figure out what else I won’t write when it stares me in the face and my characters and I argue about it!

Don’t forget to check out other writers in this hop. There’s a whole list below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe!

 

Success! #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
September 1 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?
The awesome co-hosts for the September 1 posting of the IWSG are Rebecca Douglass, T. Powell Coltrin @Journaling Woman, Natalie Aguirre, Karen Lynn, and C. Lee McKenzie!
 
 
I’ve answered this question before, long ago, but I can’t find that post to copy! So, I’ll make the answer short and simple.

Success is writing a book I’m satisfied with. Sure, it would be wonderful to become a best-selling writer, but I have no great expectations of that ever happening. I try to be satisfied with the few sales I do make. When I get one of those rare reviews that lets me know that a reader loved my story, that’s icing on the cake.

But the joy is in writing. Find the right word that I need in a sentence. Putting on paper the thought that has been eluding me for weeks. Writing “The End” and knowing I’ve accomplished something.  That’s success. And that’s what I strive for.
 
Find out what other authors define as success by following the links below. And, as always, stay safe until next time!

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

 
 

Writing Craft Book #IWSG

  By IWSG

August 4 question – What is your favorite writing craft book? Think of a book that every time you read it you learn something or you are inspired to write or try the new technique. And why?

The awesome co-hosts for the August 4 posting of the IWSG are PK Hrezo, Cathrina Constantine, PJ Colando, Kim Lajevardi, and Sandra Cox!. Thanks to all of you

I’m on the road, but before I took off I pulled a few books from my shelves to note in this post.

I cut my writing teeth on poetry, and my bookshelf reflects it. A lot of what I learned from poetry is useful in my fiction writing, even if I don’t refer to those books on a daily basis. Here are a couple I grabbed from my bookshelf:

Writing Down the Bones: Natalie Goldberg

In Pursuit of Poetry: Robert Hillyer

But the best reference for poetry are the poems from other poets; the famous and the unknown. Here are a few from my collection: Robert Frost, Dylan Thomas, Gary Snyder, Alice Walker, American Indian Poetry

Now that I’m writing fiction, my research takes a different avenue. A lot of it can be done on the internet, but here are two recent purchases that I’ve used for planning future projects: 

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Private Investigating

Boots in the Ashes (a memoir of Cynthia Beebe, one of the early female ATF agents)

Quite the difference! But I’m happy to expand my writing (and knowledge) horizons.

To find out which books other authors use to refine their craft, check out some of the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

Taking the Risk in Writing: #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
 
Welcome to another month of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. April 7th’s question, if you’d like to answer it, is:  Are you a risk-taker when writing? Do you try something radically different in style/POV/etc. or add controversial topics to your work?

Thanks to our awesome co-hosts for the April 7 posting of the IWSG! PK Hrezo,Pat Garcia,SE White,Lisa Buie Collard, and Diane Burton!

I’ve taken a lot of risks in my life. Go read the blog post from Monday…I won’t cover them again here. https://www.pjmaclayne.com/?p=6254. But when it comes to my writing, I play it safe. Unless you count the fact that I’m an Indie writer, and that’s a risk in itself. Heck, writing and putting it out there for the world to see is a risk.

My writing style is pretty traditional, and I’m okay with that. I’m writing fiction, (mostly almost-cozy-mysteries) and there’s only so many risks you can take in that genre before you lose your audience. Some folks believe even the use of strong language breaks the rules of that genre.

I prefer to present controversial topics in subtle ways, as part of the story and not the main plot.  I might sneak in a casual reference in support of the legality of marijuana or have a minor LGBTQ character. My female main characters can stand on their own against a male villain. To me, those topics aren’t radical, although I’m well aware that other people feel differently.

One thing I do that almost seems controversial is that although I’m not writing ‘sweet’ stories, I don’t include sex scenes. Many readers these days expect sex scenes, but I don’t feel the need for them in my stories even if they have a romantic subplot. I figure most of my readers know how it’s done, and don’t need the details. Will that ever change? Sure, it could, if the right story came along.

But I doubt my overall writing style will ever change. Topics may, characters may, but I don’t see myself ever being on the cutting edge of a major writing shift. That just isn’t me.

Thanks for stopping by. Don’t forget to take a look at what some of the other Insecure Writers have to say by following the links below. And, until the next time, please stay safe.

What’s My Favorite Genre? #IWSG

  By IWSG

March 3 question – Everyone has a favorite genre or genres to write. But what about your reading preferences? Do you read widely or only within the genre(s) you create stories for? What motivates your reading choice?
The awesome co-hosts for the March 3 posting of the IWSG are Sarah – The Faux Fountain Pen Jacqui Murray, Chemist Ken, Victoria Marie Lees, Natalie Aguirre, and JQ Rose!

Cereal boxes. Yes, I used to read whatever I could get my hands on, including cereal boxes. I was raised that it was impolite to read at the table, but no one complained about cereal boxes. So, I read them.

I don’t have that kind of time anymore, and I’ve become more selective in my reading. A book’s description has to stand out for me to add it to my TBR list. I’ll also read reviews. The star rating isn’t as important as what the reviewers say. If the book has a cliffhanger ending, I’ll probably pass.

One thing I avoid is reading books in the same genre I am writing. I don’t want my story and characters influenced by someone else’s work. I’ll wait and read that great-sounding mystery after I’ve finished writing mine.

What’s my favorite genre? I don’t think I have one. I’ll read just about anything. Remember those cereal boxes? I am less forgiving of poorly written books, and will set aside a story that doesn’t capture my attention much sooner than I used to.

Writing this post reminds me- I should take the time to read a mystery or two as I wrap up my final Harmony Duprie mystery. I’ve got the next project in my head, but I can indulge myself for a bit!

Check out some other authors on this hop. There’s a long list down below!

Until next time, please stay safe.