#IWSG Focus on AI For Writers

Insecure Writer's Support Group:
IWSG Sign-up (insecurewriterssupportgroup.com)

Welcome to IWSG Day. The goal of this blog hop is 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 haven for insecure writers of all kinds. IWSG is the brainchild of our fearless ninja leader Alex Cavanaugh. Thank you to the awesome cohosts for the August 7 posting of the IWSG: Feather Stone, Kim Lajevardi, Diedre Knight, C. Lee McKenzie, and Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen!

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

Insecure Writer's Support Group (insecurewriterssupportgroup.com)

__________

IWSG August 7 question - Do you use AI in your writing and if so how? Do you use it for your posts? Incorporate it into your stories? Use it for research? Audio?

The easy answer to the above questions, for me, is "No" to all. I have written several novels (two unpublished) plus a book of poetry and never used AI to create or develop the story. My focus now is on writing short stories and the ones I've written for anthologies have all been about topics of personal interest that I could relate to and embellish with research - my favorite part of writing. I look forward to reading the IWSG blog comments today to learn more about AI, programs others use, and success stories.

As for my interest in writing short stories again, I often wonder about length and whether long or short stories are more appealing to readers. Social media sites seem to owe much of their attraction to easy access, short comments, and "photos that tell the story." 

Do shorter attention spans require shorter short stories?

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D is for DAIKON April #IWSG and #AtoZChallenge

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group

 

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.

Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post.
http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world! Our Twitter is @TheIWSG and hashtag #IWSG

Ninja Alex J. Cavanaugh's awesome co-hosts for the April posting of the IWSG are Chris @ Madness of a Modern Writer, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Fundy Blue, and Chrys Fey

 

Anyone serious about marketing their published work is advised to join in the annual blogging #AtoZChallenge. In past years, I didn't use my participation as a marketing tool for my novels, so I have no statistics to share about results of publicity for my books during that time. My main objective had always been toward networking. But now I am more aware of the advantages and potential benefits of approaching the #AtoZChallenge in terms of marketing and publicity.

This year I will study the sites that employ marketing strategies so that next year I am better prepared to follow their lead. It will be interesting to watch how others approach these objectives with their posts. All in all, I see this as an expanded learning experience for 2017. (One caveat: my other blog site is applying this approach with an #AtoZ poetry theme. http://poetryfromthelanai.blogspot.com)

 

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

My daily #AtoZ posts combine two concepts in under-300-words per day:

an appealing food choice along with thoughts that spring to mind.

*** *** ***  

Daikon resembles a white carrot and tastes like a mild radish. Its benefits include antioxidants to lower both cholesterol and high blood pressure. It is rich in the minerals Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium and Iron. Unfortunately, the only time I eat daikon is when it is shredded and served as a garnish (tsuma) under sashimi. Sashimi I would eat anytime.

Sashimi (raw tuna) decorated with shredded daikon

Although some folks consider it unacceptable or prefer not to eat the tsuma, it is okay to eat the daikon that decorates the plate displaying the sashimi. Considering the price of the raw fish, and the relatively small servings offered, the garnish helps to satisfy the appetite after consuming the main course.

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#IWSG Pros and Cons of Reading as a Writer

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group

 

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.

Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post.
http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world! Our Twitter is @TheIWSG and hashtag #IWSG

Ninja Alex J. Cavanaugh's awesome co-hosts for the February 1 posting of the IWSG are Misha Gericke, LK Hill, Juneta Key, Christy and Joylene Buter!

 

February 1 Question: How has being a writer changed your experience as a reader?

 

 

In recent years, now that I am writing full-time, my reading habits have continually evolved - 

 

for better and for worse.

 

My choice of genres has broadened from mostly mysteries to more diverse areas of interest, including non-fiction history of war. Interest in this particular genre initially blossomed as research to build backstory for my novels' protagonist.

Now I'm hooked.

My current reading list includes Last Hope Island by Lynne Olson (a Goodreads Giveaway win of a book to be published 4.25.17). Expanding my knowledge base would be one of the "for better" sides of the reader-becomes-writer experience.

 

On the down side, I often find myself editing as I read. It took a while to realize this occurred most when scenes dragged, characters had no character, or the plotline lost focus. These were not conscious considerations before I started focusing on the mechanics of writing my own stories.

 

While there are times poor writing or lack of editing become too much of a distraction, I will still read to the end of most novels. There is usually a lesson to be learned in how the author unfurls the climax.

 

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My reading goal this year is to read and review 72 books, in a wider range of genres than ever before! (Last year's goal was 71 and I hit 86.) As a writer, do you read more, or less?

 

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Happy New Year #IWSG Measuring Success in 2017

 

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!
http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

 

The awesome co-hosts for the January 4 posting of the IWSG will be

Eva @ Lillicasplace, Crystal Collier, Sheena-kay Graham,

Chemist Ken, LG Keltner, and Heather Gardner!

 

January 4 Question: What writing rule do you wish you’d never heard?

My answer to this question is backwards: I love the advise to learn the rules so you know which ones you want to break and then do so with professionalism.

 

 

Happy New Year, 2017, everyone.

 

Each year, it is tradition for me to compile a list of goals to take me through the upcoming twelve months. Goals concerning my writing projects lead the way, with reading goals close behind. Some goals appear year after year, not because they failed to make the grade the previous year but because they are so important that they bear repeating. Healthy lifestyle goals top this chart. Whether I reach or exceed a goal, my satisfaction is the same. Only when I totally miss a target, do I feel any measure of disappointment.

For 2017, I've set the bar rather high as I aim at more successfully marketing my published novels. I fear neither success nor failure. My concern is about setting a goal to accomplish something that is a questionable measure of success or failure: the sale of a specific number of books.

How do you measure your success as a writer?

 

 

 

#IWSG Question: Where Do You See Yourself 5 Years From Now?

 

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!

Alex J. Cavanaugh's awesome co-hosts for the December 7 posting of the IWSG are Jennifer Hawes, Jen Chandler, Nick Wilford, Juneta Key, JH Moncrieff, Diane Burton, and MJ Fifield!

 

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The December 7 Question: In terms of your writing career, where do you see yourself five years from now, and what’s your plan to get there?

My insecurities do not lie in my beliefs about my abilities or the appeal of my novels but in an inability to attract the attention of readers who share those beliefs. Just writing the words makes me feel egotistical. Is it any wonder my marketing isn't top notch?

Nothing keeps me from continuing to write my novels, however. For NaNoWriMo2016, I typed all but the final climactic scene of my next Pepper Bibeau mystery. The reason I skipped over the climax was because I had a different solution in mind before I started writing. Near the end of the month, a much better solution presented itself to me. I was so excited about this new ending, I refused to write it. Sometimes, it's good to savor such pleasures for as long as possible.

This novel will also be the last one in the series. In the next five years, I will compile and publish a mystery short story anthology featuring sixteen Honolulu authors, concentrate on a new protagonist in a new mystery series, and edit my genealogical novel which is informed by my 20+ years of genealogy research.

But what about the marketing?

Ay, there's the rub.

 

*****     *****     *****

 

Mele Kalikimaka

&

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou

 

 

 

 

Mr & Mrs Claus greeting visitors to
Honolulu Hale on O'ahu Island, Hawai'i

 

 

#IWSG When Do You Know Your Story is Ready?

 

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group 
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!

 

Founder Alex J. Cavanaugh's awesome co-hosts for the October 5 posting of the IWSG are Beverly Stowe McClure, Megan Morgan, Viola Fury, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Angela Wooldridge, and Susan Gourley! 
 

 

http://bit.ly/2bPS6rQ

 

 

This week, I am in the middle of editing a short story for an upcoming mystery anthology. My critique group has offered their opinions of soft spots, drawn out narrative, and spotty dialogue. After applying all agreeable edits, I will read through the story several times so any rough areas or inconsistencies have a chance to surface.

 

Seeing the question for October's IWSG brought a smile to my face. How timely to consider when exactly I will know that my story is ready.

 

October 5 IWSG Question: When Do You Know Your Story is Ready? 

 

Determining that my story is ready isn't something I take lightly. I don't suddenly one day say, "Enough already. I don't want to look at this story one more day or I'll become physically ill."

 

Well, okay, I do say that, but that isn't when I mark the story finished.

 

Now it's time to set the work-in-progress aside for a day or two. Going back for a last look always produces at least one new proofreading error or, worse, a glitch in the plot or timeline that requires a touch up.

 

After that final read-through, barring some catastrophic find, I am ready to mark the story complete. That's when I know my story is ready . . .  ready for me to let go.

 

Is this a sign of insecurity on my part,

or just a realization that if the story is complete,

it means I have to start writing something new?

 

 

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#IWSG How Do You Find Time To Write?

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group 
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!

 

Founder Alex J. Cavanaugh's awesome co-hosts for the September 7 posting of the IWSG are C. Lee McKenzie, Rachel Pattison, Elizabeth Seckman, Stephanie Faris, Lori L MacLaughlin, and Elsie Amata!

 

 

http://bit.ly/2bPS6rQ

 

September 7 Question: How do you find the time to write in your busy day?

 

My daily schedule revolves around writing. My writers' group meets at a local library, The Makiki Community Library, which is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this month. For the two days of celebration, I am arranging for our group to hold hourly discussions on topics of writing, plus hold two fundraising events. I recently critiqued a mystery novel manuscript and am in the process of reading a memoir for the same purpose. I am also spearheading plans for our next anthology.

 

In answer to the September 7 Question, I take a lot of short breaks during the day for meals, laundry, grocery shopping, and other necessities. But the majority of my hours from 6am to midnight are spent on reading and writing projects. Right now my focus is the anthology short story and two flash-fiction length stories for another anthology. When I am not actually writing the stories, I am researching or thinking about the next step, editing, and rewriting.   

I am not always sitting in front of the computer typing out words. Sometimes my writing is done longhand in a notebook. Other days, the words swim around my subconscious until a thought forms. At one time, I sold real estate for five years. The main thing as a realtor was to "always be selling." As an author, the main thing is to "always be writing."

Do you only think about writing while sitting with your hands on the keyboard, or is your mind on writing 24/7?

A JOURNEY OF FIFTEEN YEARS #IWSG

It's time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group blog posting. IWSG was created by the awesome ninja captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, and you can find a list of all the other members of the group here ( Insecure Writer’s Support Group! )

 His awesome co-hosts today are Tamara Narayan, Tonja Drecker, Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor, Lauren @ Pensuasion, Stephen Tremp, and Julie Flanders!

 

Question(s) for today's #IWSG posting: What was your very first piece of writing as an aspiring writer? Where is it now? Collecting dust or has it been published?

 

After I retired from my "real job" at the end of 2009, I followed through on my 1998 goal to write and publish a mystery series. Back in the 20th century, I had little idea how to write a full novel. But, considering the countless number of mystery novels I had read over the years, my goal didn't feel daunting.

 

The first chapter of the first draft of my first Pepper Bibeau mystery saw the light of day in 1998. Over the next decade and a half, I delved into the mechanics of researching and writing a full novel, finding an editor, composing query letters, and most importantly, accepting rejection of my work. I did fairly well with the first three. The rejection thing was and is a bit harder to master.

 

This first novel went through a large number of drafts. The cover experienced several title changes, also, from SHADOW of A WOMAN: 

 

 

to SOMETHING ABOUT URSULA and QUESTIONABLE CLAIMS, and then to

 

 

 

and finally, FOR EVERY ACTION There Are Consequences:

 

 

 

Along the way, my insecurities waxed and waned. But they never fully morphed into confidence. Had I held the courage of my convictions, I may not have followed the advice of so many "experts" in the field, changing, altering, and editing the story along the way.

My original idea survived, however. After multiple (to the nth power) query submissions with varying degrees of "thank you, ma'am" rejections, I self-published my novel through CreateSpace. For me, for my goals, this was the perfect avenue of publication.

 

Now my insecurities are more in the form of marketing!!!

 

 

 

#IWSG Strategy for Relieving Tension

It's time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group blog posting. IWSG was created by the awesome ninja captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, and you can find a list of all the other members of the group here

His awesome co-hosts for the July 6 posting of the IWSG are Yolanda Renee, Tyrean Martinson, Madeline Mora-Summonte , LK Hill, Rachna Chhabria, and JA Scott! 

JULY 6 QUESTION: What's the best thing someone has ever said about your writing?

 

I will answer this question at the bottom of my blog post for today.

 

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Stress and tension are a normal part of a writer's day. If it isn't a novel's character running amok or a scene refusing to be visual enough to interest a reader, then chances are the point of view has become skewered. When I received my edited work-in-progress back from the editor, red marks ran rampant. Along with comments about cliches and over-used words, several pages featured such comments as "talking heads" and "need more scene setting."

At times like this, it is always good to have a strategy for relieving tension. Sometimes jumping right back into writing works for me, especially if it involves composing a fun blog post. If a particular activity helps to relieve stress, all the better. In this case, I combined the two by writing about an activity that helps me reduce tension.

When Life Gives You Blood Oranges

Iced tea lemonade on the lanai - what a great way to relax! At times its just old-fashioned lemonade or fruit juice. But last time I mixed up a batch, I decided the preparation might make an interesting blog post. The tart lemons, lime, and blood oranges would certainly present a colorful picture story.

With the fruit at room temperature, I rolled each lemon and the lime across the table to “loosen” the juice inside. Then I used my manual hand-squeezer. If you have one of those electric juicers (lucky you) then you can probably skip this step.

Oranges, especially blood oranges, are soft enough and I don’t roll those, just slice them in half and squeeze. (The first time I cut open a blood orange and saw the deep red color of its pulp, I almost dropped it!)

In my hometown cookbook, I found an old recipe from 1951 that suggests combining 3 ¼ cups of cold water with ½ cup of lemon juice, then sugar to taste. Everyone has their own preferences and a nice variation on regular sugar is honey, or even ginger ale for a fizzy drink.

 

Whatever your method, just remember: If life gives you lemons, smile because you can use your pent-up energy to create something of value. I convert my stress (usually computer related) into character conflict that drives the next scene of my novel. Or fix my "talking heads."

 

When life gives you lemons, what is your strategy for relieving tension?

 

JULY 6 QUESTION: What's the best thing someone has ever said about your writing?

 

 

I'm not sure if this answer quite fits the question, but it tickles me when someone says how much they like the protagonist in my mystery series. I have grown quite attached to Pepper, and a compliment about her is considered a compliment to me.

 

#IWSG - 3 Questions I Had to Answer Before . . .

 

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group

 

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.

His awesome co-host for March 2 posting of the IWSG are

Lauren Hennessy, Lisa Buie-Collard, Lidy, Christine Rains, and Mary Aalgaard!   

 

My #IWSG post for March 2016

Before I could think of publishing my next Pepper Bibeau mystery, there were 3 questions I had to answer about my purpose in writing novels.

After writing and publishing three novels in my planned Pepper Bibeau mystery series, I allowed “second thoughts” to erode my confidence in writing a fourth. My marketing for the third novel never really got off the ground. I lost faith in my writing, in the worth of the stories, and in myself as a writer. It was easier to promote authors more imaginative than myself and novels containing "more important" characters than mine. 

A lot of soul-searching followed the publication of my third novel. 
And 3 questions plagued me!

* Why had I chosen to set my stories in the near-past (beginning with the late 60s and early 70s) after reading advice that said such novels didn’t sell? Maybe it would be better to write stories occurring in the present. 

* Why was my protagonist a female with a backstory of service as a nurse in the Vietnam War? I had never been in the military, and current bestselling novels focused on action in Afghanistan or other parts of the Middle East. 

* Why did I think the life of an insurance investigator would play well in the Mystery genre? Such a career could never carry a series (or so I had been informed by a well-meaning publisher.) 

Once I formed concrete questions to get a handle on my concerns, I considered the answers.  For question one, my original plan was to look back on those years in my life when I was too busy to absorb life's pleasures. I relished the research required in developing a character whose story spanned the years missed while I was “too busy living.” Once I indulged that need, I could change direction.

This insight resolved my concerns about why to write something “they” say won’t sell.
I wasn't ready to writing for a specific audience yet.
This decision had also offered me the freedom to write the next novel in the series. 

The answer to the second question, about using a female protagonist with a backstory as a nurse in the Vietnam War, was quickly obvious. The first novel is set in 1968. Nurses returning from field hospitals were expected to resume the life they left as though they had never been gone. Emotions of war were concealed and experiences locked away.

 

I wanted to explore this unrealistic expectation.

 

Unexplained changes in personality, such as nervous reactions or more subdued personality, were treated with the expectation that things would return to "normal" soon. This was the conflicting personality I wanted to portray in my protagonist: someone who was more introverted after the experience of war, having a slight nervousness exhibited by a startle-reflex, but generally happy about life.

Until questioned about my protagonist's career as an insurance investigator, I was convinced this was the perfect job for an amateur sleuth. It took some digging to determine that the objection arose from a misinterpretation of the job responsibilities, due to my less than illustrious descriptions. 

Having satisfied my concerns over my protagonist's era, career choice, and sex (gender, not proclivity), I am eager to tackle my next Pepper Bibeau mystery.

 

Did you ever have misgivings about your choice of genre, protagonist, or story line?

 

#IWSG: Speaking From Experience

It's time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group blog posting. IWSG was created by the awesome ninja captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, and you can find a list of all the other members of the group here

 

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!

 

Alex's awesome co-hosts for the October 7 posting of the IWSG will be TB Markinson, Tamara Narayan, Shannon Lawrence, Stephanie Faris, and Eva E. Solar!

 

 

 

Any writer who plans to market their own work, at that is probably about 99.9% of us, speaking well is a benefit well worth pursuing.

Even if you never intend to do a book signing, a radio interview, or join a panel discussion, speaking well gives you the confidence to excel in other areas of writing.

I’ve been a fair-weather member of Toastmasters since 2010. I would give one or two speeches a year before my local club members. Then I would take on other roles in weekly meetings for a number of weeks before drifting away. My ability to speak in front of an audience never improved.

This year, I decided it was now-or-never. I wrote and gave Speech #7 in July. Scared out of my wits. Held only the polite people’s attention for any length of time; misunderstood in my main point by others. I decided I needed more help than I was getting up to date.

Ask and you shall receive.

Our VP of Education agreed to mentor me. After I wrote Speech #8, she did a quick edit. I practiced, practiced, practiced the speech until I felt confident it was the best I could do. I gave the speech, entitled Writing the First Draft and won the blue ribbon for best speaker that week.

I was so excited about winning, I posted an article on my blog site and spread the word on Facebook. The editor of Sisters in Crime, Inc.’s newsletter, First Draft, asked me to write an article for November that explained speaking with confidence is beneficial to writers. With my confidence level soaring, I wrote and submitted the article.

From there, everything I touched turned, well, not to gold, but into a successful project. I wrote an emotional speech for Speech #9 but it was so emotional, I had trouble with the beginning and went over my allotted time. Even though I was ineligible for a blue ribbon, I was voted best speaker that week. Trust me, I didn’t care about the ribbon.

In October, I am holding a “mock” Toastmasters meeting for our Sisters in Crime/Hawaii monthly meeting, to give our members a taste of how learning to speak in front of an audience or small group is a beneficial goal for all writers.

You may have seen the survey that shows the most feared human experience, even ahead of dying (as in: I’d rather die), is speaking in front of an audience. Admitting you are petrified to speak in public is a good first step toward becoming a confident speaker. Trust me, I’m speaking from experience.

 

 

#IWSG Is Ambition the Last Refuge?

It's time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group blog posting. IWSG was created by the awesome ninja captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, and you can find a list of all the other members of the group here

His awesome co-hosts for the January 7 posting of the IWSG are:
Elizabeth Seckman, Lisa Buie-Collard, Chrys Fey, andMichelle Wallace!

  Be sure to visit the
Insecure Writer’s Support Group Website!!!

 

I must confess, Social Media overwhelmed me.

After joining several sites including Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads, I started blogging to promote my published novels. I interviewed other authors and participated in a variety of blog hops. At some point, I lost traction as the social world moved too fast for me to keep up, especially if I wanted to write more novels. 

Writing, research, and editing are fun for me. Meeting other writers and marketing my books are also on my list of fun activities. If it was possible to do everything, I would. Admitting I couldn’t was the breakthrough that rendered instant relief. My stress level declined once I learned to strike a happy medium by staying within my abilities. 

At first, I withdrew almost completely from online activities. The withdrawal corresponded with the year-end holidays. I took time to determine what I enjoyed doing most in terms of lifetime goals. 

If ambition is the last refuge of failure, as quoted by Oscar Wilde (and Gil Grissom) then I feel justified in swapping ambition for happiness by living at my own comfortable pace. 

Of course, my pace varies. I currently have three more novels written and in various stages of development. These projects were not created as a result of ambition but from a need to write. This, to me, is the definition of happiness.

 

My Insecurity For the Month of November #IWSG

 

It's time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group blog posting. IWSG was created by the awesome ninja captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, and you can find a list of all the other members of the group here

 

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!

Alex's awesome co-hosts for the November 5 posting of the IWSG are: LG Keltner, Donna Hole, Lisa Buie-Collard and SL Hennessy!

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What is my insecurity for the month of November? 

This month, I’m in good company. Everyone who decides to jump on the NaNoWriMo wagon sets themselves up for stress, doubt, pressure, and yes, insecurity! Some days, the burning question is, “What in the heck was I thinking?” 

In my case, the question isn’t just burning, it’s shooting flames sky-high. See, in November of 2013, I wrote over 50K words of a novel but later decided I wasn’t ready to move in that direction. I set up my own writer’s month from mid-June to the third week of July 2014, and wrote another 50K words. During August, September, and October, I edited the first draft, wrote a second draft and edited that. Next week, beta readers will begin to attack this second draft. Left with an opening, I decided to jump into NaNoWriMo 2014. 

Unfortunately, I was also scheduled for a panel discussion, an annual reunion, and a book fair, all cutting into my writing time before I even got rolling. Now, I’m running to catch up. Hence, the insecurity.

For years, I’ve insisted I do not work well under pressure. Slightly contrary to this belief, it appears I do better when I lay the pressure on myself. Maybe it’s when someone else is calling the shots that I tend to balk. It is a good thing that, as an author, I am now my own boss! 

Tomorrow, I think I’ll ask for a raise.

 

Are you doing NaNoWriMo this year? As Joey would say, "How you doing?"

 

 

INSECURE WRITER'S SUPPORT GROUP: This Sounds Dumb!

The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day, a day to talk about doubts experienced and fears conquered, and also to offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling.

Our fearless leader, Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh says:
 Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Our Twitter hashtag is #IWSG

My awesome co-hosts for the October 1 special anniversary posting of the IWSG are: Kristin Smith, Elsie, Suzanne Furness, and Fundy Blue!

 

  Be sure to visit the
Insecure Writer’s Support Group Website!!!

  http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html

 

 

 

THIS SOUNDS DUMB!

 

After three weeks of traveling on the mainland, it has been difficult for me to get back into writing mode at home. Not so much writing mode, actually, as editing. My trip was mostly to do research for several projects, the major focus being on my latest novel. Now that the fun is over, I have to knuckle down. Applying the research to various scenes and chapters is the knuckle down part.

 

It hasn't helped that my calendar was packed with meetings and events for two weeks following my return. The final event was "A Taste For Books" silent auction to raise money for The Makiki Community Library, a non-profit, independent library that hosts our Sisters in Crime/Hawaii meetings each month. Delicious food, good wine, free books! And my auction-bid won a fine set of wine glasses and a pair of Hawaiian hand-dipped beeswax candles. No wonder I'm having a difficult time knuckling down!

 

My insecurity, and consequent (or is that subsequent?) inability to knuckle down, lies in how I feel about the plot cohesiveness of my WIP. It sounded great as I wrote the first draft, even held together through the second draft. Now that I am readying it for outside editing, suddenly this sounds dumb, that doesn't make sense, and the other thing definitely needs a complete rewrite.

 

When it comes time to open your work to criticism and editing, do you get the jitters like I do?