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!
November 1 question – Win or not, do you usually finish your NaNo project? Have any of them gone on to be published?
The awesome co-hosts for the November 1 posting of the IWSG are
Tonja Drecker, Diane Burton, MJ Fifield, and Rebecca Douglass!
I can’t answer today’s question because I don’t do NaNo. I’m a No. No. to NaNo. I don’t write that way and never will. However, I do support those who enjoy the fast-paced push to create a story, and I wish them well.
So Go, NaNo Peeps and Good Luck.
This month I’m more than insecure. I’m losing and I hate losing, but someone has to, and it must be
my turn. Double Negative’s up for Reader’s Choice Award, but bringing up the rear. It’s listed under YA and Middle-Grade books on page 12 for 16–talk about being at the back of the pack! If you want to give me your VOTE, I’d appreciate it. Maybe I’ll place. For those who have supported me, many thank yous.
AND. . .if you’ll notice I’ve moved my blog from Blogger to WordPress just because I don’t already have enough insecurity and anxiety this month.
I’ll be announcing my Featured Follower for November on my next post ( Nov. 6) and I’ll be yakking about the Canal du Midi and the south of France. I’m in love with that place and all I need is a nudge and high-speed internet to make me pull up my tent stakes and move there. Of course, I have to tell about Texas. Austin was awesome and then some. Now it’s time to face real life and get some writing done. I’ve missed our exchanges and look forward to catching up with what you’ve all been up to.
I’ve already voted for you and it won’t let me vote again. I hope you start pulling ahead, Lee!
I believe it’s a lost cause, but it has been interesting. Thanks for your vote, Loni.
Hey superstar author, Lee,
How did I end up over here. Oh no, it’s WordPress time and yep, to comment I have to choose a name, slap in an email address and maybe stick in my blog’s website. Sheesh!
Anyhow, well done on your successful migration from there to here. As for that NaNo stuff…..NoNo to NaNo, for this here shy and humble type dude.
Oh, you did get my vote.
As usual, no matter where your blog is, I’m still your starstruckest fan!
Penny’s human dad,
Gary
I’ve caused you no end of suffering. For that I apologize. And you voted for me, too. I’ll make it up. Promise.
Hope you enjoy your move to Word Press! Sounds like a lot to take on and I hope the new site is good to you. 🙂
I don’t do NaNo either. I have wanted to try it- but November is always a crazy month for me. Also, I write like a turtle- so I don’t know how far I would get. 🙂
Turtle unite! We need a Slooooow NaNo. 🙂
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and for your kind words. It really means a lot. Sorry I didn’t respond sooner; life got in the way. Sorry to hear that you’re falling behind in your contest, I’ll be happy to give it a vote if I still can. I thought this blog looked a little different. I like it. Do you?
I’m liking some of it. Not liking other parts. My html isn’t up to date, so tweaking the widget area is giving me fits. I’ll survive.
Thanks for stopping by, and yes, you can vote up to Dec. 10. Any vote appreciate– losing or not!
You did it! Here you are. Congrats.
I’m still not believing I’ve actually migrated from Blogger to WP. And you found me! All systems go. Thanks so much for following me over here.
I don’t do the Nano thing either. November tends to be one of my busiest months (but so was this October). I’ll go vote for your book!
You found me! And during one of your busiest months. 🙂 Thank you more than you know for your vote.
I do think I’ve gone over the edge, but then it’s always exciting out here. 🙂
Yikes! you’ve been busy. Good luck with the move to WordPress. I simply can’t imagine taking on a move like THAT.
I believe I already voted. Best wishes for climbing those ranks.
Yes, you did, and thanks again.
Well, I’m sorry your book isn’t doing better in the ranking. I voted for you and I’d do it again. I have my paperback copy of Double Negative and loved it!
I’ll have to change to your new address on my Easy Reader blog roll. New site looks great!
Me too. But I’m stressed enough about everything else like this new blog and the glitches out there to snag me, so I’ll have to forget the poor performance on Readers Choice and move on. Thanks for following me around. I appreciate the time it takes to do that! And thanks for the vote!!!!
Just moving to WordPress would be more than enough to give you insecurities, even without all the other stuff that’s going on.
And NaNo isn’t for slow writers like me.
The Slow Writers’ Club we belong to is quite large. I’m glad I’m in it. Everything’s too fast as it is. As to WordPress, yes. It’s giving me fits. Thanks for the heads up about the link. I’m off to fix that.
I like hearing people’s travel stories and look forward to hearing you share about the South of France and Texas.
I have tons of pictures. Now I just have to write the stories. Thanks for the visit, Cynthia.
Hi Lee – I think I voted earlier (or back then!) … but I can’t say I enjoy their site and went through this time … found your book – but after that the site lost me! I tried …
So glad you happy times down in the South of France and then in Austin – looking forward to the updates … and now as you say settling to more writing.
I’ve put this blog into Feedly – so am now connected to the new one – cheers Hilary
Thanks for tracking me down, Hilary. I’d hoped to make it easy for all of you to find me, but as you know my link didn’t work. All mended!
I voted or at least, I hope I did! I clicked on your book, but nothing much happened. I did vote for you a few weeks back so maybe it wouldn’t let me vote again?
Yes, the site only allows one vote per IPN. Thanks so much for the help.
Hi, C. Lee! Hopefully I’m now following you at Word Press and hopefully I voted for your book! I haven’t done NaNo, although I’d like to push my self in December in the NaNo way. Good luck with your book!
Wonderful to have you here! I’m hoping most of my “old” followers will find me. Thanks for the vote. I really appreciate it.
Nice new digs you’ve got here!
I can’t do the NaNo either. We can just cheer from the sidelines!
Heather
Pom poms at the ready. So glad you like my new space. I’m getting used to it.
Your new site is great. So easy to read. I have WordPress and blogger both, but haven’t done much on wordpress. It’s too complicated for me.
I voted awhile back. Hope you get a lot more votes. NaNo isn’t for me. Trying to write a certain number of words in a limited time is too stressful.
We are on the same page with the NaNo, Beverly. Glad you like the new site. I want my followers to feel comfy and welcome here.
I’m sorry your book isn’t soaring yet. I voted, though. All the best, and welcome back!
Appreciate the vote, Damyanti. I won’t win, but maybe that’s the way it should be.
Good luck with WP. I have one too, but still prefer blogger til i have time to make my site more my own. Love the way you’ve managed to make yours look much the same as your old site.
Hope you had a fantastic vacation. Looked awesome.
Denise 🙂
Fantastic time away. I’m never sorry I take off; I’m just sorry I get so far behind.
I already voted. Hopefully you can pull ahead a little. Hope the move is going smoothly – your blog looks very clean on WordPress.
Thanks, Nick.
I hope the blog works. Guess we’ll see.
There will always be another contest. Maybe next time. :-/
Anna from elements of emaginette
I’m not too keen on another contest like this. I’m not sure how I got into this one, actually. I didn’t do it or I don’t remember doing it.
Congrats on moving your blog, Lee. And sorry about your disappointment. Those can be hard but you did what you could.
I was gone when I should have been taking care of business, but maybe business is to enjoy my time more and not worry about votes.
Heh, no wonder I could not find you. Found your link in a post you posted on another blog. You even manage to keeping looking a lot like your other blog. Congrats. Juneta @ Writer’s Gambit
Thanks for persisting. I should have left my new link in my comment. Sorry.
Love the new site!
I’ve really only tried NaNo once and failed miserably. I’d love to really give it a shot someday but I’m really more of a slow writer.
I like slow. It means you’re giving time to those characters and their story.
“I love the smell of a new blog in the mornin’.”
Hi, again, Cheryl-Lee! I found you! I reached you!
It’s Shady. I hope my comment gets published. Sometimes I have difficulty leaving comments on WordPress blogs because they are sorted to the junk or spam folder. (Perhaps that is where most of my comments belong. 🙂
Your earth tone site is very attractive, dear friend. I like it! I also admire your candor. It requires courage to admit that you do not wish to participate in the “write a novel in a month” challenge. I don’t like to be rushed either, although I sometimes impose a deadline on myself as a challenge.
I wish you a kinder, gentler November, dear friend Cheryl!
We did it! All things are possible when you put two brains together. Great to see you here, Shady and glad you like the earthiness of this place. I’m not a stainless steel kind of person, so this suits me.
I like the new site. It reminds me of your old one that had more than a blog, but it’s better.
I think I voted for you, but I’ll go check.
I didn’t want to revamp the site entirely. Just too expensive, so I just updated it. I might go for more later, but for now this will do.
I voted for you, sorry it’s not doing as well as you had hoped 🙁 Looking forward to your France posts.
I should have been doing something to get votes I guess. But choosing between France and getting votes. . .well, no contest.
I voted too 🙂
I’m always loaded with insecurities – so if anyone needs any, I’ve got plenty to share! 😛
All votes appreciated. Thanks, Jemi. And you can keep your insecurities. I don’t want to deprive anyone of something so valuable. 🙂
Great new site indeed. Yeah, nano gets a pass from me. I write every day anyway, so no need. Losing stinks indeed. Voted away at my bay long ago.
Thanks, Pat. I’m getting used to it. Trying.
I feel a bit like a stalker, but am happy to follow you to WP. Welcome back.
Is there an option to receive follow-up comments I missed?
Okay, so see I don’t know the answer to that question. I’ll add it to my list. Oye!
The new site looks lovely. I voted for your book. Good luck!
Thanks, Cherie. It helps to have support.
Here’s hoping next month looks better. If you head off to France, I’m sure it will!
Just in case you don’t have enough to deal with, now you have to figure out how to make your Blogger/Google profile link here instead of to the old blog. All those details are why I haven’t been willing to change my blog!
That’s exactly why I dragged my feet, but I was convinced to change and now I’m committed. Make that, “I should be committed.”
Welcome to WordPress! I made the switch over the summer and I’m really loving it. 🙂
I’ve never officially done NaNo, but I like the idea of trying to write as much as I can this month since so many others are and it’s kind of motivating. Not sure I could ever reach 50k though.
-Lauren
I’m sure it will grow on me. I just wish I could be faster at this learning curve business.
I read about your nomination for the Reader’s choice award on Juneta’s blog. You’ve got my vote and I hope you win.
Have a lovely time in France. I don’t know which airport you’re flying into but if you fly into Frankfurt International (FraPort) Airport, let me know. I’ll meet you at the airport for a coffee.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
I have to thank Juneta for the help. I’ve been gone all of October and haven’t really pushed for votes except some scheduled tweets and fb posts that I scheduled ahead. Thank you for your vote and for the offer of a coffee in Frankfurt. Next time. 🙂
Congrats on the move! Your new blog looks great. And best of luck to Double Negative–have already voted!
Appreciate the vote, Heather–a lot.
I don’t participate in NaNo either, but I have the utmost respect for those who do.
And I love WordPress, much more than Blogger. You’ll get used to it in no time.
I hope so. It is different, and since I’m still not back in town mentally, I’m struggling to keep up with those difference. Thanks for the encouragement.
I voted! Lovely to see you back. I’m curious as to what you think of WP compared to Blogger.
Right now it seems complicated, but I’m hoping that will stop soon and become easy. I liked Blogger, but heard that this was going to be a better platform for search engines.
I voted for you too Lee. I also love WordPress. It’s much easier to network and link social media. I wish you the best with your writing 🙂
Great to have you visit here today, Erika. Thanks so much for your vote.
I voted. Double Negative is a wonderful book!!!
I don’t do NaNo either…
Thanks so much, Cathrina! We’re No NaNo sisters. 🙂
I don’t do NaNo either. I did vote. Are you liking WordPress better?
Hi Liz! I’m not sure about WP yet. This is only my second post here and the first one was kind of a test run. I’ll let you know.
You are a great writer, and your books shine, awards or not. Good to have you back. WordPress is good. I switched a few years ago. Looking forward to hearing about your travels!
Mary at Play off the Page
That’s a lovely compliment, Mary. Thank you. I may be around to all of you WP people to ask for help. I have a few things I still haven’t figured out.
I’m voting! That book has just got to win. The move to WP–I love WP. It has lots of flexibilities I don’t think Blogger has.
Thanks for your vote. I appreciate the support, Jacqui. I may be calling on you for some WP help!
Welcome back! Hope your break was great! As for NaNo, I don’t do it either. Like you, it’s not really my thing, but I think it’s a wonderful idea for those who like to do it. Have a great rest of the week!
It’s a great motivator for some, so I’m glad it’s out there. Thanks for the visit to my new space, Karen.
I voted!
Hope you enjoy WP. Since I don’t seem to have problems commenting on WP blogs anymore then I don’t mind the move.
Now watch me have problems getting this comment through. Hope not!
Arlee
Tossing It Out
Thanks so much, Arlee. I’m still in a bit of a dither about WP, but I hope to work out the kinks as I become familiar with it.
I don’t Nano either. I don’t think I could write that fast and come up with quality stuff. My brain is too slow maybe.
Me, too. Slow. I’m just fine with that.
I’m sorry your book isn’t doing well in the rankings. I voted.
Found your new site with a Google search and I updated you on the IWSG list.
Thanks, Alex. I’m in a 100% tizzy right now. Take a break and be prepared to have absolutely everything go crazy when you return.