I’ve started packing my bags, filling the dumpster with unwanted stuff, and moseying over to Substack. Join me there by subscribing (it’s free) and we can stay in touch.
First Wednesday IWSG Rocks
On every first Wednesday, it’s time to rock the neurotic writing world!
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
The awesome co-hosts for the May 3 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Meka James, Diane Burton, Victoria Marie Lees, and M Louise Barbour!
Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or a story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.
Remember, the question is optional!
May 3 question – When you are working on a story, what inspires you?
In the beginning, the freshness of the idea is inspiration enough to start writing down the first words.
When I reach what I think is the middle, I need to boost that inspiration–I think of it as enthusiasm–by walking a lot while I talk to myself. This “talk” is often dialogue between characters, or it’s me berating myself for thinking I could ever write a book.
As I cross the finish line, I’m usually inspired by the checkered flag, even though I know I’ve only completed the first draft and there’s a lot of work ahead.
I’ll be interested in reading what others use as inspiration.
My newsletter goes out on the first Thursday of the month. If you’re interested in reading it, you can sign up HERE. You get one of my “spooky campfire” stories as a gift when you do. This month’s topic is “Why Readers Stop Reading A Book.”
Quote of the Month: Don’t wait around for inspiration to zap you, go find it for yourself in whatever way works. (Notice that there are no quotes around this one. It’s mine–not original in thought, but my words.)
Hello, First Wednesday of 2022…oops! 2023
The awesome co-hosts for the January 4 posting of the IWSG are Jemima Pett, Debs Carey, Kim Lajevardi, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and T. Powell Coltrin!
Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.
Remember, the question is optional!
January 4 question – Do you have a word of the year? Is there one word that sums up what you need to work on or change in the coming year? For instance, in 2021 my word of the year was Finish. I was determined to finish my first draft by the end of the year. In 2022, my word of the year is Ease. I want to get my process, systems, finances, and routines where life flows with ease and less chaos. What is your word for 2023? Why?
Since 2009, I’ve run through a lot of words to set an intention for another year of writing. Some of the verbs have been improve, persist, succeed, enjoy, publish. In the noun category, I’ve chosen things like courage, empathy, patience, energy. Each time I’ve looked back over a year, I’ve been somewhat surprised to find that the word of the year was exactly what I needed to guide me through 365 days and whatever manuscript I happened to be laboring over.
This year, I’m recycling one of my previous words, and I’m returning to persist. After writing for some time now, the idea of keeping on is more important than ever. I may have to fudge a little and tag on energy, so I can actually achieve the lofty goal that persist sets.
I wonder what other words bloggers have chosen or if they have. It will be interesting.
And speaking of persist…here’s another shot at putting your work into the hands of an agent or a publisher. The #IWSGPit is coming on January 25, 2023. This all-day event starts at. 9:00 am and goes until 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. It’s exciting, instructive, and often rewarding for writers, so don’t miss it!
Here’s what to do:
Create a Twitter-length pitch for your completed and polished manuscript and leave room for genre, age, and hashtag. On January 25, 2023, Tweet your pitch. If your pitch receives a favorite/heart from a publisher/agent check their submission guidelines and send your requested query.
Quote of the Month:
Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.
Napoleon Hill
Farewell 2022 First Wednesdays
This is it people! The last First Wednesday of 2022. I’m shocked that we’ve met here for an entire year to talk about writing, reading, and life experiences. I’ll leave this year with a lot of good memories, many interesting experiences, and some treasured friends. Thanks for all your visits and your wonderful comments.
Now onto the final IWSG question for 2022
The awesome co-hosts for the December 7 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Chemist Ken, Natalie Aguirre, Nancy Gideon, and Cathrina Constantine!
Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.
Remember, the question is optional!
It’s holiday time! Are the holidays a time to catch up or fall behind on writer goals?
I definitely fall far behind in any goals I have–the writing ones included. My priorities shift to food (especially biscotti which I bake in copious batches), to my kids, to all the decorations that I’ve stored away for years. I seem to return to my “old” way of doing things and become more domestic and much more social.
The writing will be there when I put the decorations back in their boxes and when I’m no longer planning dinner parties or going to them. And when the festivities come to an end, I’ll be at my computer or scribbling in one of notebooks. But I’ll have a lot of wonderful memories of those biscottis, the kids with their presents and wide-eyed wonder at Santa, and the shared time with friends.
May you all have a wonderful December and meet the new year in high spirits and good health.
The December WEP Challenge is on.
Read the submissions
HERE!
Quote of the Month:
“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!”
― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
I’m Back! And Just in Time for #IWSG Wednesday
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG
Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.
Remember, the question is optional! [Read more…] about I’m Back! And Just in Time for #IWSG Wednesday
Books. Books. Books. AND Insecurity Pride Day!
This month I featured Yolanda Renee. She has been a great guest, and I hope the feature helped make her books more visible out in this wildly competitive world of books. Be sure to take a look at all of her work, including Parallels: Felix Was Here, an anthology The Insecure Writers Group made possible.
Buy your copy now and be terrified. A #Freebook on August 23 and 30!
[Read more…] about Books. Books. Books. AND Insecurity Pride Day!
IWSG and How!
Thanks Ninja Alex |
The awesome co-hosts for the December 7 posting of the IWSG will be Jennifer Hawes, Jen Chandler, Nick Wilford, Juneta Key, JH Moncrieff, Diane Burton, and MJ Fifield!
Talk about being insecure. Well, this IWSG post is the most insecure one I’ve ever done, but I wanted to test out something, and what better place than here among friends? That’s what I kept telling myself. Anyway, in spite of my good common sense, I’m posting my idea this month. What you’ll see is a work in progress with a rough draft of my first Instant Book. If you have some suggestions about how to use this as marketing tool or (Heaven Help Me!) how to create a video, I’d to hear them.
IWSG March Has Arrived!
Brain Child of Alex J. Cavanaugh
The awesome co-hosts for the March 2 posting of the IWSG are Since Tara Tyler and Christine Rains invited me to be a part of the MEME HOP, I’ve become besotted by memes. Here’s my IWSG short story told in memes. |
TODAY
My little man’s pointing to my email subscribe field at the top right of this post. My next email goes out mid-March, so hope you’ll sign up because there’s some good stuff this month and a surprise. Here’s a list of what Special Offers have already gone out since I started my email list.
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Brain Child of DL Hammons
You can send your entries, starting April 1-30. Then the contest starts May 18. Wish I could jump in, but I’m booked solid all spring. I’ll be stopping by though to see what you guys are submitting. There are always great stories.
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Arlee Bird and tons of others make this work! |
Have you signed up? Get going. April’s here before you know it. HERE’s the link.
Four Uses for an Insecure Writer & Evernight Teen Giveaway
Alex Cavanaugh’s Brain Child
Awesome co-hosts today are Allison Gammons, Tamara Narayan, Eva E. Solar, Rachel Pattison, and Ann V. Friend!
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!
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- You’re washed up before you begin.
- Nobody wants to read your stuff.
- The rejections come back before the send key is cool.
What’s so strange then about being just a little INSECURE?
Nothing, but to ease any tension–should any of these be nagging at you–I’ve come up with some alternative uses for you… and me. Don’t thank me, please. I’m preparing for all of these after this post goes live.
Inspect Keyboards
Do Line Edits
Generate Memes
Function as a Door Stop
Any other uses for Insecure Writers that you can think of? For heaven sakes share! But call me first because this was my idea. And read on because there’s some free books and a $100 dollar gift certificate waiting for you below.
Visit EVERNIGHT TEEN to see all of their books. |
By Carla Davis
I decided to give Double Negative a try because the sample dragged me in from the first paragraph until I had to read the whole thing! It’s so rare to see well done first person, but this book does it masterfully. Hutch has a real voice that must be rendered in the way the author has chosen. No lazy writing here!
By ltg584
I could tell within pages that this book was pure genius and it only became more apparent the deeper I was pulled into the story. I devoured it as quickly as I could… and now it’s over! 🙁 I wish there was some way that it could be a series, just so I could have more! I have already been perusing the author’s other works, debating over which one to read next.
By Night Owl Reviews
Double Negative is just amazing. Reading it felt like being on emotional roller-coaster.
I’m proud to be an EVERNIGHT TEEN author. Enjoy this tease from my book, Double Negative.
“My life was going, going, gone, and I hadn’t been laid yet. I couldn’t go into the slammer before that happened.” Hutch McQueen |
I see her before she sees me, but when she does, man, does she shoot lasers at me with her eyes. I walk fast and stop her at the edge of the lawn. “Look, I’m a sleaze, okay? I’m sorry, but that’s just the way I was made.”
“What do you need?”
“Nothing.” That’s pretty much the truth at the moment. By using one eye to read I’m doing more of the homework. If I hold one of them magnifying glasses over a page I can even look up words in the dictionary, so while it takes a lot of time, I can almost get through Deek’s assignments. Still I don’t want to take any chances. Nyla’s brain could be the difference between me staying a junior for a long time or making it to my senior year. I need to be on her good side.
She passes me and starts toward Larkston High.
“I said I’m sorry. Liz and me . . . well we kind of—”
“Just shut up.” She keeps walking, her eyes down.
“I came to try and—”
She wheels around so fast I run smack into her and have to back up.
I don’t expect her to sock me, so when her fist comes at me I take the full wallop on the left side of my jaw. One minute I’m there with the sidewalk under my feet and the next that sidewalk is pressed against my cheek.
I’m offering two eBooks of Double Negative during Evernight Teen’s super celebration. All you have to do is say you’d like a copy and leave your email in a comment. I’ll put your name in the “hat”.
IWSG in October
SIGN UP HERE |
Fall is officially here and nights grow longer. Spookiness wraps its arms around you and you shudder in the chill of October. It’s the perfect time of year to look under the bed before climbing in to sleep. And guess what you’ll find there–besides those dust bunnies and the last page of your manuscript you lost in April. . .
Yep, there they are huddled together, waiting, hoping to keep you tossing in those sheets and sleepless with them nagging at you.
But just in case you don’t have a good left hook, SIGN UP for the IWSG and get the help you’ll need to see you through the dark and stormy nights ahead.
ENTER HERE |
Oh and speaking of Insecurities: There’s nothing like a contest to give you the jitters. The Great Time Lock Disaster has been entered in the Cover Wars Contest over at Masquerade Crew this month. If you like the cover, it would be great to have your VOTE.
Amazon |