It’s the first Wednesday of October, and time for another Insecure Writer’s Support Group post.
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!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time – and return comments. This group is all about connecting!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time – and return comments. This group is all about connecting!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
The awesome co-hosts for the October 2 posting of the IWSG are Nancy Gideon, Jennifer Lane, Jacqui Murray, and Natalie Aguirre!
October 2 question – Ghost stories fit right in during this month. What’s your favorite classic ghostly tale? Tell us about it and why it sends chills up your spine.
I’m not a big fan of ghost stories. I’ve come close to the edge of the other side a few too many times to be comfortable with them. But the one that has always fascinated me is what I call the wanderer. Others may call him the walking man. The story has variations in many places across the United States, from Pennsylvania to Wyoming to Oregon.
But the basis is always the same. The man (well, almost all the stories I’ve heard make it a man, not a woman) seen on the side of the road. Sometimes he’s hitchhiking, many times just walking. He may be a figure of goodness, but most often he’s to be feared, a cautionary tale about not picking up hitchhikers. He’s always ragged, skinny, with wild eyes.
He’s been the basis for stories and statues. A solitary man, alone in the night, in the shadows, almost always older. One tale speculates he’s looking for his wife who was killed in a car accident. If you turn to get a second look, he’s gone. Seemingly, only a figment of your imagination.
What happens if you stop and talk to him? Offer a ride? The tales differ from place to place. Most often, he simply vanishes. Or you do, and no one knows what happened.
He’s a modern-day ghost story and I’ve never heard what older tale he spawned from. If you know, tell me in the comments. Of course, some tales warn that even talking about him can be a bad omen. Does that extend to writing about him on the internet?
To hear more ghostly tales, follow the links below. And, as always, until next time, please stay safe.
I never heard of the wanderer story, but it’s an interesting one. I’m not a fan of ghost stories either.
It seems to be more of a rural phenomenon, which makes sense. City streets are too busy.
I don’t usually care for scary stories either. The Wanderer story sounds like it teaches a good lesson: don’t pick up hitchhikers!
It feeds our natural fear of the dark and strangers.
I haven’t heard of this one before, but it reminds me a little of the Mothman and the Jersey Devil. I feel like there must be a lot of urban legends (rural legends?) like this, featuring unearthly beings people see while driving along the highway.
Nod. It’s a regional thing, but each tale seems to share roots with the others.
What a story. I’ve never heard this. I’m so tempted to DDG it, but then I’ll fall down the rabbit hole for an hour! Thanks for sharing.
I did a quick search, and didn’t find anything about the stories I heard. The legend has been taken over by modern day versions.
I love the wanderer…and the “woman in white” corollary tales! @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act
I don’t know that I’ve heard of the woman in white.
The urban legend that made its way to Hawaii was of the young couple parking in a wooded area, then the car won’t start and he goes for help. She hears tree limbs brushing the roof of the car but then falls asleep until morning when a police officer removes her from the car and tells her not to look back, which of course she does, and sees her boyfriend hanging from a tree, his fingers brushing the roof of the car.
As for scary stories: My fav spooky tales are chicken-skin tales about urban stories of night marchers, and of Madame Pele, the volcano goddess, who appeared along the roadside when people were in need.
https://gail-baugniet.blogspot.com
It’s my understanding that Madame Pele predates the white colonization of the islands. It’s good to know she still has a presence.
I’ve heard versions of that tale as well. Interesting to consider the variations….
It’s interesting how widespread it is. Do you mind sharing where you are located?
That’s a terrifying tale! Thankfully, I have encountered any such encounters, but I do have a friend who swears that he saw a ghostly woman in white as he was driving home late at night. He caught a glimpse of her in the rear-view mirror, but she vanished when he stopped for a second look. Thinking about it still gives me chills!
It fits the tale perfectly
Interesting! The ones I’ve heard most often have been of a teenage girl, often thought to have been killed in an accident on prom night or something like that, hitchhiking home, but disappearing before she gets there.
So many variations, with a central theme.