Tag: #IWSG

Success! #IWSG

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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

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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.

Adeus, Do svidaniya, Annyeong, Au Revoir, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye #IWSG

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Welcome to another month, and a new Insecure Writer’s Support group. This month’s topic is: What would make you quit writing?
The awesome co-hosts for the July 7 posting of the IWSG are Pat Garcia, Victoria Marie Lees, and Louise – Fundy Blue!

I’ve thought about it. Quitting, that is. When the book sales are non-existent and the reviews aren’t tumbling in, it’s hard to keep putting pen to paper. Or fingers to the keyboard.

But although selling books feeds my ego, that’s not why I started writing.

I started writing because I have these stories tumbling around in my head. Characters who talk to me and keep me company and make me laugh and make me cry. Even if I never publish another book, I’ll still want to capture these tales and figure out what they have to teach me. Even if I stop sharing my books with the public, I can’t imagine that I will ever stop writing.

Those words may never even make it to paper. Some stories are better left floating around the interior of my brain. That’s still writing, as far as I’m concerned.

So, back to the original question. What would make me quit writing? Nothing. As long as I can form coherent thoughts, I’ll keep writing. That’s just part of who I am.

 

Don’t forget to check out some of the other posts on this hop by following the links below. As, as always, until next time, please stay safe.

I’ll Wait For You Forever #IWSG

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It’s the first Wednesday of the month, and time for another Insecure Writers support Group post.
You ready?
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
June 2 question – For how long do you shelve your first draft, before reading it and re-drafting? Is this dependent on your writing experience and the number of stories/books under your belt?
The awesome co-hosts for the June 2 posting of the IWSG are J Lenni Dorner,Sarah Foster,Natalie Aguirre,Lee Lowery, and Rachna Chhabria!
 
 
The collective wisdom that is passed around is that a writer should wait several weeks after finishing a first draft to begin editing. Time enough for the words to sit and to let the author come back to it with fresh eyes. Sounds good, but I’m bad at following good advice. Even before I’ve written The End, I’m finding words and paragraphs that need changed. Or added. Or deleted.  If I can wait a day or two to start editing, I’m doing good.
 
Except there are other stories that I’ve written, leaned back, and said “That’ll never work.” And it goes into archives without doing any additional work on it at all. Then there are the stories I wrote over five years ago, that I keep coming back to, trying to figure out how I can make them marketable.
 
That’s part of the dilemma I’m facing with my current WIP. I think I’ve got a solid basis for the story, but it’s a different style and genre than I’ve ever written, and I’m unsure if I can whip it into shape. Still, I can’t put it away and I keep pecking at it,  fixing a word here, deleting a phrase there. I’ve been unable to ignore it and give myself the space I need to look at it objectively.
 
I’m worried I’m more in love with the character than the story, and that’s bad. Then I read a line and think “That’s really good!” What I need to do is throw a chapter out to a critique group and let them tear it apart.
 
But it’s hard to make the story (and me) wait. I want to get it out of my system one way or the other so I can move along to my next adventure.
 
Let’s find out if other authors struggle with waiting to edit by following the links below.
 
And, 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

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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.

More Than Sharing Stories #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
February 3 question – Blogging is often more than just sharing stories. It’s often the start of special friendships and relationships. Have you made any friends through the blogosphere?
 
The awesome co-hosts for the February 3 posting of the IWSG are Louise – Fundy Blue , Jennifer Lane, Mary Aalgaard, Patsy Collins at Womagwriter, and Nancy Gideon!
 
I don’t have a huge following on my blog. I watch the page views trickle in some days. Shoot, some days I avoid looking at the number of visitors because it’ll only make me depressed.
 
But I share a blog hop (not this one!) with a few other authors, and we’ve bonded over some of the topics we’ve discussed. We’ve written about places we’ve been and places we want to go. There was a post about the mistakes we’ve made in our writing. We’ve discussed marketing tips and what works for us and what doesn’t. Along the way, I’ve made friends.
 
Well, as much as “talking” strictly over the internet allows us to be friends. We don’t always agree with each other, but we try to be respectful of each other’s opinions. The group includes writers from a variety of countries and backgrounds, which can lead to interesting discussions in the comments. If you’re interested in seeing what do, scroll down to other posts.
 
If I were wealthy, and there wasn’t a world-wide pandemic, I’d love to meet these other writers in real-life. I don’t expect either of those roadblocks to change in the near future, so I’ll keep having conversations with them via the blogshere, or on the other social media we use to stay connected.
 

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

How about you? Have you made friends through your blog?
 
(Shameless plug: I’d love a few more followers. There’s a link to the right where you can sign up to be notified of new posts!)
 
Until the next time, please stay safe.
 
 
 
 
 
 

It’s a Struggle to the Finish #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
January 6 question – Being a writer, when you’re reading someone else’s work, what stops you from finishing a book/throws you out of the story/frustrates you the most about other people’s books?
 
The awesome co-hosts for the January 6 posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse van Vuuren , J Lenni Dorner, Gwen Gardner Sandra Cox, and Louise – Fundy Blue!
 
Once upon a time, I prided myself in finishing every book I ever started. That included classics that everyone ‘had’ to read, but I thought were poor writing. Or stories we were assigned in class that didn’t make the grade in my point of view.  I can’t tell you when it happened, but at some time I reached a point where I decided to put my limited time for reading to only books I want to read, not ones I struggle to finish.
 
There’s no longer any guilt in closing a book full of grammatical errors and bad writing. Plot holes, especially, drive me up a wall. The main character had brown hair in one chapter and is blonde in another? She better be wearing a wig. The sheriff of a large county is making traffic stops? Not likely. That sort of bad writing makes me cringe.
 
I can forgive one misplaced their instead of they’re. But if an author gets them consistently wrong? That’s a book-closer. If the characters are flat and never make mistakes? Sorry, that doesn’t work for me. I’m not perfect, but I’m always trying to make my writing better.
 
Here’s the truth. I want to like the books. All the books. I really do. But I no longer have the desire to waste my time on bad books. So, I have given myself permission to close a book. I won’t give a bad review. I just won’t leave any review at all.
 
How about you? Tell me about it in the comments. Don’t forget to check out other authors in this hop by clicking the links below.
 
Until next time, please stay safe.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Writing By the Calendar #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
December 2 question – Are there months or times of the year that you are more productive with your writing than other months, and why?
 
The awesome co-hosts for the December 2 posting of the IWSG are Pat Garcia, Sylvia Ney, Liesbet @ Roaming About Cathrina Constantine, and Natalie Aguirre!
 
I don’t think my productivity is tied to certain months. Well, except maybe December when there’s so much to do that isn’t writing. I can forgive myself for that.
 
But there are times when I don’t do as much writing as others. That’s because I have a day job that can bleed into evenings or nights. That will kill productivity not just for a day, but for several days or more, because it messes with my sleep cycle.
 

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

 
I don’t know how to measure my productivity when I’m editing. Does editing one chapter equal writing one chapter? Editing engages a different part of my brain and I find it hard to do both at the same time. I have to concentrate on one or the other.
 
Do I need to mention that marketing sucks the creativity from my soul? Factor how much time is spent trying to sell my books into the equation and see how my productivity drops.
 
So, there are lots of influences that affect the amount of writing I do, but the time of year isn’t one of them.
 
Find out what other authors have to say about this topic by following the links below.

And, until next time, please stay safe!
 
 

The Reason I Write #IWSG

  By IWSG

November 4 question – Albert Camus once said, “The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.” Flannery O’Conner said, “I write to discover what I know.” Authors across time and distance have had many reasons to write. Why do you write what you write?

The awesome co-hosts for the November 4 posting of the IWSG are Jemi Fraser, Kim Lajevardi, L.G Keltner, Tyrean Martinson, and Rachna Chhabria!

I don’t believe I’ll ever keep civilization from destroying itself with my writing. Saving the world is way beyond my paygrade. That won’t stop me from writing.

So, why do I write? I hope to distract my readers for a short time. Give them something to else to think about. Maybe give them a giggle or make them say “aha!”

Besides, I have all these characters in my head that want to get out. The only way to do that is write their stories. Take Tasha in Wolves’ Knight, for example. That was a book I didn’t plan. Tasha came to me while I was writing a different book, and said: “Here’s my story!” I acknowledged her, and tried to get back to my project. But she wouldn’t let me, and Wolves Knight (originally called Tasha’s Tale) got moved to the front of the list.

And take the book I’ve recently started. I don’t know if it will ever get past first draft, but the main character started talking to me after six years of being a secondary character in a series. I’m writing it from my anti-hero’s point-of-view, and he’s turning out to be more of a villain than I’d planned. I’m not fighting him about it, either. I think he’s got a hero complex and he’s hiding it from me. We’ll see.

So, maybe my writing as as much about entertaining me as it is entertaining the readers. I can live with that.

Don’t forget to check out what other insecure writers are writing about by following the links below.

And, until next time, stay safe!